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རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཏོག་གི་གཟུངས།

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī
Chapter 6

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

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 1.0.19 (2022)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.17.7

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

The Translation

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī
from the Great Collection

Homage

[F.187.b] [B1]10

h.1

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 2

2.1

The daughters and sons of Māra, accompanied by their retinues, said to the Blessed One, “The extent to which the Thus-Gone One is endowed with means and wisdom is incredible! We seek, O Blessed One, the same sort of Dharma vehicle, wisdom, magical powers, compassion, means, and eloquence. What are the qualities, O Blessed One, that a person should have in order to not fall into the hands of evil companions, but instead swiftly realize unsurpassed and perfect awakening?”

Chapter 3

3.1

While the Ratnaketu dhāraṇī was being recited by the thus-gone Śākyamuni, the entire Sahā world became clearly visible, illuminated by a powerful light. The one hundred billion lords of sensual pleasure, each one a māra active in one of the one hundred billion worlds of four continents in this buddha field of Śākyamuni, became alarmed by this display of the Buddha’s power and directed their eyes toward this world of four continents. “Where is this light emanating from?” they wondered. “Surely this must be through the power of Māra, the evil one, who lives in that particular world of four continents. He is stronger, mightier, and more powerful than us.”

Chapter 4

4.1

When the four great hearers were, as described before, in the great city of Rājagṛha collecting alms, they were rudely accosted by the māra youths who urged them, “Dance, monk! Sing, monk!” When, subsequently, the great hearers, running along the street, sang their verses with lyrics that describe the path to nirvāṇa, this great earth trembled. At that moment many hundreds of thousands of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas, inspired with faith in the Blessed One’s instructions,215 said this, their faces awash with tears:

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 6

6.1

At that time the thus-gone Akṣobhya set out from the world in the east called Abhirati in the company of an infinite number of bodhisattva great beings. Through the power and mastery of miracles particular to a buddha, he arrived instantaneously in the buddha field that includes the central world with its four continents, where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni was staying. Having arrived, he sat upon a lotus seat that appeared just as needed. The bodhisattva great beings [F.237.a] from his retinue also sat upon lotus seats that appeared through their own magical power.

6.2

Headed by Akṣobhya, infinite numbers of the blessed buddhas living in buddha fields as numerous as atoms also arrived. They arrived in a split second, in the same buddha field that includes the central world with its four continents where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni was staying. Each and every one of these thus-gone ones was accompanied by an infinite number of bodhisattva great beings and hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of hearers. Having arrived, they sat down upon lotus seats that appeared just as needed.

6.3

At the same time, the thus-gone Ratnadhvaja came from the south . . .342 and he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

In the same way {TK161} there came from the north {K122} the thus-gone Dundubhisvara. Having arrived, he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

6.4

At the same time, the thus-gone Amitāyus came from the west. Having arrived . . .343 he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

Simultaneously, the thus-gone Vairocana came from below. Having arrived . . .344 he sat upon a seat of lotus filaments.

6.5

The thus-gone Jñānaraśmirāja came from above, accompanied by infinite and uncountable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of bodhisattva great beings, just like specks of dust, hailing from the buddha fields above as numerous as the grains of sand in the river Gaṅgā. Through his mastery of miracles particular to a buddha, he started off, and within a single instant of thought he arrived in the buddha field that includes the central world with its four continents, where the thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha Śākyamuni was staying. Having arrived, he sat upon a lotus throne345 that appeared just as needed. The bodhisattva great beings all sat upon lotus seats that miraculously appeared through their own [F.237.b] mastery of magical power according to their individual stores of merit.

6.6

Some of the bodhisattvas who had thus gathered from the ten directions around the thus-gone Śākyamuni rained down gold from the Jambu River in an act of worship of the blessed thus-gone ones. Some circumambulated clockwise the entire buddha field. Some stood with folded hands in front of the blessed buddhas, eager to hear the Dharma. And some directed their minds and abided by modes of virtue particular to themselves.346

6.7

Subhūti, the princely youth, folded his hands and, drawing on his own magical power and the power of the blessed buddhas, {TK162} filled up the entire buddha field with the words that he sang: {K123}

6.8

“O moon-like sages,

Removers of all doubt who have gathered here!347

A gathering of the saṅgha such as this

Has never been seen or heard of before. {6.1}

6.9

“Totally filled with bodhisattvas of supreme austerity

And all the buddhas,348

This buddha field is now a caitya,

Honored by every other field. {6.2}

6.10

“It is not without a reason that you,

The sun-like sages, the perfect buddhas,

Have come today to this field, rife with the five degenerations,

Scorned as it is by beings.349 {6.3}

6.11

“Today the vile Māra will meet his ruin

And his black faction will be destroyed,350

While those with pure conduct stand united‍—

This is why they have come together. {6.4}

6.12

“Let your minds be filled with admiration,

For the hordes of Māra are to be defeated.

Hear all about the peaceful nature of reality,

And then awaken to perfect buddhahood!351 {6.5}

6.13

“You will understand that the Mahāyāna

Is a path of practice with acceptance as its armor.

Hear this dhāraṇī-seal today

In order to remove all afflictions! {6.6}

6.14

“Let us all together, with one voice, {TK163}

Invite the guides

Who will teach this means of protection

While seated on their thrones.352 {6.7}

6.15

“May this invincible dhāraṇī,

Which contains all the Dharma teachings [F.238.a]

And pacifies all obscurations, be taught

So that the sublime Dharma may be made to remain for a long time.” {6.8}

6.16

Subsequently, infinite and uncountable numbers of bodhisattva great beings implored with a single voice, “O most compassionate blessed buddhas! Please remain on your lotus seats and teach now this dhāraṇī that is suffused with the utmost loving kindness and acceptance, is composed with great skill,353 and contains all Dharma teachings‍—the one that removes fear; enables escape from all the domains of Māra;354 topples the banner of Māra, and raises the banner of the Dharma; obliterates all afflictions; {K124} defeats all enemies, severs all doubts, brings one to omniscient wisdom, frees one from all fears,355 offers complete and matchless protection; ensures no loss of memory, intelligence, demeanor, or steadfastness356 with regard to all the qualities of the bodhisattvas; shows the complete array of conduct, skillful means, and wisdom; brings one to the sense bases, blessings, absorption, dhāraṇī, and acceptance that support perfect happiness; fosters proficiency in conventional knowledge,357 . . .358 and contains the essence of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

6.17

“Please teach us this dhāraṇī in order to bring beings into contact with charismatic splendor, health, enjoyments, strength,359 good reputation, happiness, and a comfortable life; to increase eloquence and the powers of recollection and make us able to remember what has been heard without any loss of detail; to defeat all enemies; {TK164} to ensure good harvests;360 to bring the power to retain what has been learned and become a receptacle of mindfulness; and to help accomplish the right conduct and attain awakening.

6.18

“Please, O blessed buddhas, teach this dhāraṇī to us now so that this Dharma method will be upheld and remain for a long time and so that the lineage of the Three Jewels does not perish. Teach it to show the complete path [F.238.b] to unsurpassable awakening. Teach it to show the indivisibility of the ultimate reality, space, and suchness and the indivisibility of darkness, light, the observable, the unobservable, near, far, thought, concept, beings, the vital principle, individual soul, and person.361 Teach it to show that all phenomena are insubstantial, undifferentiable from the ultimate reality, and equal in their characteristic of not being born, arising, or ceasing. And teach it to show the indivisibility of the elements of earth, water, fire, wind, space, and consciousness.

6.19

“May all the blessed buddhas here recite for us this dhāraṇī, promulgated as the collection of all the Dharma teachings that constitute the path, so that, immediately upon hearing it, innumerable {K125} hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of beings directly realize the nature of the Three Jewels. May they then work as spiritual friends for each other’s benefit. May an infinite number of beings develop the wish to attain unsurpassable, perfect awakening, reach the stage of a non-returner, and each obtain a prophecy of attaining buddhahood.”

6.20

Thus addressed, all the blessed buddhas, now assuming responsibility for the delivery of the Dharma, fell silent and remained seated on their seats of lotus filaments. They entered an absorption that manifests equanimity according to the former aspirations of a buddha. {TK165} All the beings in all these buddha fields gained mindfulness, faith, inspiration, and devotion that served to quell all forms of suffering and to gather all roots of virtue. By merely beholding the blessed buddhas, the attachment, aggression, delusion, wrong views, pride, arrogance, haughtiness, personalistic false views, doubt, acquisition, craving for existence, and faults in the substratum comprising the minds and mental states of all the beings in all these buddha fields were all quelled. Each and every one of these beings had this perception: [F.239.a] “It is just me alone that is here to hear the Dharma before the Thus-Gone One. There is no one else! The entirety of the Blessed One’s mind is directed toward me. He is teaching me the Dharma in order to alleviate all forms of sickness. No one else has requested the Thus-Gone One so as to hear the Dharma.” This perception was possible because the buddhas entered an absorption that manifests impartiality according to the former aspirations of a buddha.362

6.21

Whatever beings dwelled at that time in this entire buddha field, {K126} all of them, their senses alert, folded their hands and said in one voice:

“Please teach us the Dharma, O blessed buddhas! Teach us the Dharma, venerable blissful ones! We will apply ourselves to the teachings of the blessed buddhas with earnestness.” {TK166}

6.22

At this point, the thus-gone Śākyamuni, in order to worship the other blessed buddhas, flooded this entire buddha field, through his blessings, with an exquisite and particularly powerful fragrance, far exceeding that of the already present array of aromas. And he placed in the hands of363 all the beings that were in all the buddha fields various jewels, flowers, chaplets, scented oils, parasols, banners, flags, ornaments, and embellishments, so that they could themselves worship the remaining364 blessed buddhas.

6.23

He then said, “I beg your attention, O blessed buddhas in the other buddha fields in the ten directions. Please come to my buddha field so we may have a discussion. I made the aspiration in the past to awaken fully and completely to unsurpassed and perfect awakening in this world debased by the five degenerations, to take responsibility for liberating365 {K127} all beings from the weariness366 caused by heat, cold, and hot winds; for liberating, out of compassion, all the beings who have lost their sanity, lost their way, or, veiled by the dark veil of ignorance, been thrown into [F.239.b] the darkness of afflictions;367 and for all the beings who are on their way to being reborn in the three miserable realms, who fall into bad company and are deprived of good company, who spurn the wise, who commit the five acts of immediate retribution, who reject the sacred Dharma, who revile the noble ones, and who have no compassion in their hearts. I do this with the diligence, power, and effort that arise out of great compassion.

6.24

Traveling on foot, I visit villages, towns, cities, countries, and capital cities. To benefit beings, I consume {TK167} small quantities of harsh and disagreeable food, tasteless and utterly disgusting. To develop their roots of virtue, I wear coarse rags for robes, unpleasant to the touch, made from scraps of cotton and hemp salvaged from garbage dumps.368 I live in places such as mountain wildernesses, forest thickets, deserted towns, or charnel grounds. I make my bedding from hemp, sticks, and leaves‍—rough, stale-smelling, and unpleasant to the touch.369 Donning the armor370 of skillful means, great compassion, and diligence, I engage beings in conversation in various ways. With kṣatriyas, I talk about the might of the king, with brahmins about the Vedas and astrology, {K128} with ministers about the administration of the country. I talk with physicians about the efficacy of mineral and herbal remedies, with merchants about buying and selling merchandise, and with householders about responsibilities pertaining to the affairs of the house. I talk with women about beauty, jewelry, pregnancy, and avoiding petty competition. With monks I discuss the delights of acceptance, good character, and the three types of activity.371

6.25

“In order to bring beings to maturity, I set on the path of attainment those who have not yet reached it. I help those not yet realized to attain realization, those who have not had a direct experience to have it, [F.240.a] and those who are not yet liberated to become so. I relieve a variety of sufferings. I travel the country in order to bring beings to maturity.

6.26

“At such times, these beings curse and abuse me. Filled with envy,372 they falsely accuse me of indulging in sex.373 They harass me with hypocritical gossip and women’s tales‍—treacherous, wicked, untrue, and mean. They throw dirt upon me. They boldly approach374 me to slay me with weapons, poison, and fire, {TK168} raining upon me discuses, javelins, arrows, swords, spears, axes, and rocks. In order to kill me, they set upon me elephants, venomous snakes, lions, tigers, bulls, buffaloes, wolves,375 and athletes. They fill up my houses, monasteries, and temples376 with filth and foul odors.377 When my hearers enter a town {K129} to beg alms, these ignoble beings rudely follow them in the streets, dancing and singing. They employ many hundreds of thousands of stratagems to kill me, striving to obliterate my doctrine, extinguish the torch showing the way to the Dharma, bring down the banner of the Dharma, break the boat of the Dharma, and scatter my Dharma offerings.

6.27

“Now, may all of you, O blessed buddhas, look at the Dharma methods of the blessed buddhas of the past.378 Please consider how they had gathered together in this buddha field afflicted by the five degenerations in order to ensure the long continuity of the Dharma methods; to crush the entire force and the dominion of Māra; to prevent the interruption of the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels; to increase beings’ roots of virtue; to suppress the proclamations of all the hostile preachers of other doctrines;379 to pacify discord, [F.240.b] quarrels, famine, disease, invasions by foreign powers, enslavement, wars, disputes, unseasonable cold and hot spells, storms, torrential rains, hurricanes, the defects of body, speech, and mind, and wrong views; to propitiate all the gods, nāgas, yakṣas,380 {TK169} and human and nonhuman beings; to protect every house, village, town, city, and kingdom; to dispel all the wickedness, poison, evil spirits, blind infatuation, bad dreams, and bad omens;381 {K130} to provide beings with all the grain, medicine, fruits, flowers, and extracts that they need for livelihood; to engage the kṣatriyas, brahmins, vaiśyas, and śūdras in virtuous conduct; to generate the mind of awakening; to encourage the practice of the six perfections; to increase the wisdom, skillful means, powers of recollection, mental resourcefulness, demeanor, contemplation, devotion, valor, stability,382 and eloquence particular to the bodhisattva great beings; and to reach the other shore of wisdom that brings the reprieve of the final bodhisattva level.

6.28

“These thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddhas of the past taught, blessed, and rejoiced in each other’s giving of this Dharma discourse and 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. So now, in exactly the same way, all of you, O blessed buddhas, who live and spend your time in the ten directions but have now come together for the sake of inquiry to this buddha field of mine afflicted by the five degenerations, who are now seated here all together, may all of you give, bless, and rejoice in each other’s offering of this Dharma discourse and 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.

6.29

“Please do this in order to ensure the long continuity of this Dharma method, to crush the entire force [F.241.a] and dominion of Māra, . . .383 and to reach the other shore of unobstructed384 wisdom. Do this out of regard for my wish {TK170} that this sacred Dharma method will continue in this buddha field for a long time, will not be violated by any of the followers of other systems, and will not suffer annihilation,385 and also to ensure the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels,386 and provide sustenance to all beings by means of the nectar of Dharma.” {K131}

6.30

The blessed buddhas replied, “Yes, of course! We will certainly carry out our duties as buddhas and take charge of the Dharma situation in this buddha field. To ensure that this Dharma method continues for a long time, to crush the entire force and the dominion of Māra, . . .387 and to reach the other shore of unobstructed388 wisdom, we will give this Dharma discourse and 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. All the beings who are in this buddha field, please listen! This dhāraṇī-seal is:

6.31

aṅkara aṅgara bhaṅkara prabhaṅkara bhayam iha mitraṃ bhase akhe akhamaṃbare dome domante kevaṭṭe keyūre samavahane samantabhadre dharme dharme dharmake japhale mitrānuphale phalavate gaṇe gaṇabaraṃte hili {TK171} hili hilā hilake jaṃbhavate ṭakase ṭakaṃte ṭakavarānte gaṇavahante hirinte śirinte vinduvate govāhe jure mitrajure juse agre abame satya tathatāṃ {K132} hulu hile candre sama dharme dharme kucuru mucuru aciṭṭa cili cili cicavaha culu culu mitravaha kulu kulu sara sara kuṭu kuṭu mahāsara tuṭu tuṭu mahāsatya hṛdaya puṣpe supuṣpe dhūmaparihāre abhaye rucire karakṣe abhayam astu vivāha titile [F.241.b] mamale paśvakha śiśira lokavināyaka vajre vajre dhare vajravate vajradade cakravajre cakre cavate dhare dhare bhare bhare pūre ṭare huhure bhaṃgavivare śarīśa cili curu mūle {TK172} maṇḍale maṇḍane gagaraṇe mūḍake sarvamūḍake dhidhirayani makhiśvaralayani {K133} riṣijani dharavaci caṇḍālasame sarvasasyādhiṣṭhānāc chidyantu vāhanā mamini phalarati ojāgre vicini vanaraha bubure guru guru muru muru hili hili hara hara kākaṇḍavaha hihitām āyuhana kuṇḍa jvāla bhase gardane ādahani mārgābhirohaṇi phalasatye ārohavati hili hili yathā vajaya svāgra yathāparaṃ ca hṛdayabāhasatya paribhāva mārgābhirohaṇe {TK173} acala buddhi dada pracala pacaya piṇḍahṛdaya candracaraha acale śodhane prakṛtimārge ili ilile prabhe sāraprate sarvatra tathatā satyānugate {K134} anāvaraṇabrate alata aṃgure śāmini vibrahmavayo hi ahita avāhi niravayava aciramārga lana laghusare triratnavaṃśe dharmakāya jvalacandre samudravati mahādbhūtavyaya samudra vegava dhāraṇīmudreṇa makhimudra surapratisaṃvid amudra āvartani saṃmoha skāra vidyutarasena kṣiti {TK174} mudrito si ye keci prathivī vāha baha baha baha kīṭakabaṭa śaila pratītya hṛdayena mudṛtā dhāraṇī dhara dhara dhara dantilā dantindālā huska sarvahṛdaya mudrito si jaḍa javaṭṭa jakhavaṭa sumati mati mahādbhūta mudritā ye kecit ṣaḍāyatananiśṛtā bhūtā ini mine sacane ghoṣasacane mudritā caryādhiṣṭhāna vākpathānanyathā mahāpuṇyasamuccayāvatāra mahākaruṇayā mudritā sarvasamyakpratipat {K135} cirarātraṃ jvalatu {TK175} dharmanetrī sarve munivṛṣabhā mahākaruṇāsamādhijñānalābhabalena maitrītyāgātivīryabalenādhiṣṭhitā sarvabhūtopacayāya svāhā!”

6.32

Immediately, all the beings present in all the buddha fields thrice exclaimed, “Homage to all the buddhas!389 Homage! Homage to all the buddhas!” and then further marveled, [F.242.a] “How wonderful is this gathering of sages! How wonderful is this gathering of bodhisattva great beings and great hearers! How extraordinarily wonderful is 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! It shows how to master all the instructions of the Teacher, the Dharma methods, and the tradition of the Three Jewels. It destroys the army and the dominion of Māra and cuts his noose. It defeats all enemies. It raises up the banner of the Dharma. It protects the Dharma followers . . .390 and it completely fills the entire domain of the Buddha.391 This Dharma discourse and 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, has presently been spoken by all the blessed buddhas in order to seal the hearts {TK176} of all beings and thus refine their five great elements, their conditioned intellect, and their six sense bases, until they attain the ultimate, final nirvāṇa.”

6.33

While this dhāraṇī formula was being recited, {K136} a great number of bodhisattva great beings, thirty times392 as many as there are grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, obtained the absorption and the acceptance that are engendered by this dhāraṇī.

6.34

On this occasion, the princely youth Candraprabha rose up from his seat and, looking around with folded hands, spoke as follows, filling the entire buddha field with his voice thanks to the blessing of the buddhas and his own magical power:

6.35

“Such a gathering of moon-like victors

Is difficult to find,

And so are the bodhisattvas here,

Knowledgeable and abiding by their great vows. {6.19}

6.36

“It is extremely difficult

To find the chance to hear this dhāraṇī-seal,

Blessed by the compassionate lords

To become a Dharma method. {6.20}

6.37

“This dhāraṇī-seal brings victory

Over the enemies who side with Māra,

And, blessed by the perfect buddhas,

It ensures the continuity of the Three Jewels. {6.21} [F.242.b]

6.38

“It increases the joy of acceptance,

Thus leading to the removal of all obscurations; {TK177}

It attracts all beings in this world

And protects the kingdom. {6.22}

6.39

“It prevents bad activities in this life

And halts wrong views;

It gives comfort to bodhisattvas

And clearly shows the path to awakening. {6.23}

6.40

“It increases the six perfections

And perfects virtuous conduct;

In particular, it has been empowered

To increase skillful means, wisdom, and eloquence. {6.24}

6.41

“This dhāraṇī brings together the white faction,

And it cannot be defeated.

An immaculate blazing torch, it illuminates the path to awakening

For those who will thus experience the Dharma directly. {6.25}

6.42

“One should abandon all doubts

And devote oneself entirely to the dhāraṇī‍—

It is the complete path

Whereby awakening is realized.393 {6.26} {K137}

6.43

“We will propagate

This invincible dhāraṇī

For the protection of Dharma teachers

And the prosperity of students. {6.27}

6.44

“Which of you illustrious bodhisattvas present here

Will uphold this dhāraṇī

As the means for eliminating obscurations

And increasing the welfare of beings?” {6.28} {TK178}

6.45

In reply, the youthful bodhisattva great beings, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, said with one voice, “We, too, uphold and bless this dhāraṇī. If any noble sons or daughters, any monks or nuns, or any male or female lay practitioners should teach this dhāraṇī, having for this purpose bathed, donned clean clothes, and ascended a lion throne that is soft and pleasant to the touch; inside a well-constructed pavilion covered in various flowers; perfumed with various fragrances; stocked up with refreshments of various tastes; fitted with cloth, soft fabrics, and adornments of various kinds; and provided with parasols, banners, and flags, no one would be able to disturb their thoughts, bodily humors, bodies, or minds [F.243.a] or give them breathing trouble or headaches. This could not possibly happen.394

6.46

“No one would be able to inflict upon them any disease of the body,395 tongue, teeth, bones, throat, arms, back, internal organs, abdomen, pelvis, thighs, or shanks. Nor would anyone be able to interfere with their voice. {K138} If any Dharma teachers should be suffering, due to their previous accumulation of unskillful actions, from any disturbance of the humors or a loss of voice, all of them will be completely pacified when they recite this dhāraṇī. After the negative action is purified, they will become well.

6.47

“Also, the students of the Dharma who will attend their teaching will not be affected by any disturbance of the humors or a loss of voice. For those who hear this dhāraṇī, even if they had long been affected by any disturbance of the humors or a loss of voice due to their previous accumulation of unskillful actions, all of this will be cleared away.” {TK179}

6.48

At this point, Candraprabha, the princely youth, bowed with folded hands in the direction of the blessed buddhas and the surrounding bodhisattvas, as numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā, and said, “Please, O blessed buddhas, listen to and give your support for this dhāraṇī:

6.49

kṣante asamārope metre somavate ehi navakuṃjave navakuṃjave navakuṃjave mūlaśodhane vaḍhaka vaḍhaka māravatathatā pariccheda baḍhasa baḍhasa amūla acale dada pracalā vidhile ekanayapariccheda caṇḍatṛṇe bosare bosaratṛṇe khagasuratṛṇe snavasuratṛṇe bhūtakoṭī {K139} pariccheda jalakha jalakha vaye jalakha namakṣakha kakakha ha ha ha ha phu phu phu phu {TK180} sparśavedanapariccheda amama nyamama khyamama samudra mudrabakha saṃskārāṇāṃ pariccheda bodhisa kṣitivima mahāvima bhūtakoṭi ākāśaśvāsapariccheda svāhā!”

6.50

This dhāraṇī was applauded by all of the bodhisattva great beings and great hearers who were present in all the buddha fields, as well as other beings of great splendor‍—Śakra, [F.243.b] Brahmā, the world protectors, and the lords of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas.

6.51

The blessed buddhas said, “This dhāraṇī possesses great force and power; it subdues all enemies and completely removes fear, disease, bad dreams, and bad omens . . .396 and takes beings to the other shore of unobscured wisdom. The dhāraṇī just uttered is the outcome of the supreme wisdom that comes from the accumulations of great merit and wisdom.”

6.52

At that time, the great brahmā, Bhūteśvara by name, was seated before the blessed Amitāyus. Through his mastery of magical powers particular to a great brahmā, he took on a female form endowed with all the characteristics of supreme beauty and adorned with clothing, {TK181} ornaments, flowers, fragrances, and scented oils that exceeded in greatness even the celestial realms.

6.53

Bhūteśvara, this great brahmā, now rose from his seat and said, with folded hands, “Please bless me, O blessed buddhas, with the maṇḍala of sound that conveys words397 and can magically deliver exegetical instructions, so that I can reach with my voice this entire buddha field and no obstacle will arise for me in this respect. {K140} Please bless me so that I can protect Dharma teachers and students through the articulation of mantra words. If any god or a male or female nāga, nāga elder, nāga with an entourage, or nāga offspring; . . . or a male or female piśāca, piśāca elder, [F.244.a] piśāca with an entourage, or piśāca offspring; or any human or nonhuman being should watch out for and seek an opportunity to attack a Dharma teacher or a Dharma student or approach them with an evil or hostile intent, or should disturb, harm, or remove so much as a single hair from their bodies‍—if any such evil being should steal their vital energy or even breathe upon them or look at them, even momentarily, with an evil intent, I will instantly restrain or punish these māras . . .398 or human and nonhuman beings, and {TK182} I will crush, confuse,399 and curse them.

6.54

“So please, O blessed buddhas, empower me with the maṇḍala of sound that conveys words, so that I will be able to penetrate with my voice the entire buddha field. Which of you will help me with this?”

The blessed buddhas remained silent, thus granting their consent. {K141}

6.55

A śakra by the name of Śikhindhara, whose body was adorned with the light of ornaments made of gold from the river Jambu, sat there for a moment before addressing Bhūteśvara the brahmā as follows: “You should not sit in front of the thus-gone Amitāyus, sister. Do not act in a casual manner and disturb the blessed one. Why so?

6.56

“Naive people delight in the discursiveness of mind,

But thus-gone ones harbor no such thing.

Instead, they show that mental constructs

Are characterized by arising and ceasing. {6.29}

6.57

“The thus-gone ones have discovered the path of suchness based on discriminating all forms, letters, and words. A thus-gone one, O sister, is not in conflict with suchness. Rather, he is one with it, being the same as space, which, like him, is characterized by the absence of mental imputations and the cessation of the three predispositions.400 Just as space has no ideas or concepts with regard to the predispositions, so also a thus-gone one [F.244.b] does not cogitate {TK183} about sensual enjoyments, form ideas or concepts about them, dwell on them, or get attached to them. He thus does not conceptualize about or falsely identify beings, a vital principle, an individual soul, a person, aggregates, elements, or sense bases. Why then do you, sister, ruminate about the body of the Thus-Gone One?”401

6.58

“You should consider things carefully, O lord of gods, before you say them,” counseled the thus-gone Amitāyus, “otherwise you may incur undesirable results lasting a long period of time. In this case, this truly great person has performed great service to many buddhas and has cultivated his roots of virtue in the presence of the blessed buddhas. He magically transformed himself into a well-adorned woman in order to worship the Thus-Gone One, so do not address him as a woman.”

6.59

The śakra Śikhindhara then said to the brahmā Bhūteśvara, “Show your compassion for me and forgive me, O noble son! May I not incur the undesirable results that the thus-gone Amitāyus has spoken of.” {K142}

6.60

Now the bodhisattva Kautūhalika inquired, “O Blessed One, had the śakra Śikhindhara not confessed his words, what kind of ripened result would he have incurred?”

“Noble son,” replied the thus-gone Amitāyus, “if he had not confessed, he would have been reborn eighty-four thousand times as a woman completely suffused with sensuality. Therefore, one should guard one’s speech. The maṇḍala of sound that conveys words, O noble son, has now been made available to you through the blessing of the thus-gone ones. Express your eloquence.”

6.61

Bhūteśvara, the brahmā, now with the blessing {TK184} of the buddhas, directed his gaze in each of the ten directions and beseeched with folded hands, “Listen to me, O blessed buddhas, bodhisattva [F.245.a] great beings, great hearers, gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas! Grant your approval that my wish may come true, namely that this Dharma method will endure for a long time and that no harm will come to the Dharma teachers and students who are established in the proper conduct.402 Grant your approval that, during the degenerate time, no māras . . . or human and nonhuman beings will be able to do any harm to them.”

6.62

At this point, the brahmā Bhūteśvara, in order to restrain and reverse their aggressive intentions and take the pledge403 from the evil-minded beings, uttered a loud cry that filled the entire world sphere, and the lords of brahmās declared in one voice, {K143} “We too offer our support for the dhāraṇī. We will ourselves uphold and teach it during the degenerate period. We will protect the sacred Dharma and also protect the Dharma teachers and students that follow the proper conduct.404 Please recite it, honorable one! We declare our support for this dhāraṇī in front of the blessed buddhas, the bodhisattva great beings, and the great hearers.”

6.63

Bhūteśvara, the brahmā, again beseeched, “Give me your blessing, O holy buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, and great hearers! The dhāraṇī is:

amale vimale gaṇaṣaṇḍe hāre {TK185} caṇḍe mahācaṇḍe came mahācame some sthāme abaha vibaha aṃgajā netrakhave mūlaparicchede yakṣacaṇḍe piśācacaṇḍe āvartani saṃvartani saṃkāraṇi jaṃbhani mohani ucchāṭani hamaha maha maha maha ākuṃcane khagaśava amala mūla mūlaparivartate [F.245.b] asārakhava svāhā! {K144}

6.64

“Whoever transgresses against these mantras405

Will be excluded from the community‍—

He will have his eyes taken out,406 his head will burst,

And he will have his limbs broken. {6.30}

6.65

“As sealed in the formula:

acca avaha cacacu krakṣa cacaṭa kacacā nakhaga caca caca caca na ca hamūla caca camūla cacaha amūla caca {TK186} hamūla mū baḍabahā svāhā!”

6.66

Immediately, all the brahmā lords . . .407 and piśācas applauded and said, “These mantra words possess in excess the ability to crush the great trichiliocosm with their force and power.408 This noose will affix itself to all spirits who harbor ill will, so how could they survive?”

6.67

Bhūteśvara the brahmā said, “Those spirits who have wicked minds; who are devoid of compassion and ungrateful; who wish to harass beings or are followers of Māra; who seek opportunities to harm the head-anointed kṣatriya kings that have faith in the Buddha’s teaching; who approach, seeking an opportunity to harm, the chief queens, royal sons and daughters, women of the harem, ministers, military commanders, or other members of the royal court that have faith in the Buddha’s teaching; who approach, seeking an opportunity to harm, the men and women, sons and daughters, male and female lay practitioners, Dharma teachers and students, monks and nuns, practitioners who engage in meditation and recitation of prayers {K145} or in the service of their superiors‍—if any such spirits should disturb the aforementioned even for a single moment of mental activity or disturb, harm, or remove even a single hair from their bodies; or if they should steal their vital energy or even breathe upon them; or if they should thus seek, their minds full of malice, an opportunity to cause harm, such māras . . . and human and nonhuman beings, with their bodies rotting and smelly, will have their heads burst into seven pieces, eyes gouged out,409 and hearts desiccated. They will contract leprosy, oozing pus and stinking, and will completely lose their magical power. [F.246.a] The earth will develop crevasses {TK187} beneath them, which they will fall into. The winds will toss them in the four directions, and they will wander aimlessly, with their bodies covered in dust, mentally disturbed. Those who roam the earth will plunge into the crevasses in the ground eighty-four thousand leagues below the surface and will spend the remainder of their lives there. Aquatic beings that are wicked, have no faith in the teachings of the Buddha, and do harm to the kṣatriya kings who do have this faith, . . .410 or to those who engage in the service of their superiors‍—they also will have their heads burst into seven pieces . . . and will spend the remainder of their lives there,411 should they transgress against these mantras.

6.68

“Furthermore, in whatever realm this Dharma discourse‍—the dhāraṇī-seal that cannot be conquered by the hosts of Māra‍—is disseminated, there we will {K146} eagerly apply ourselves to the cause of guarding, protecting, and preserving that realm, and we will protect412 all the beings there who yearn for the Dharma.413 We shall expel all, from hostile yakṣas to hostile kaṭapūtanas; avert the discord, quarrels, famine, invasions by foreign powers, and the unseasonable rains, storms, cold and hot spells, and disease in that land; ensure the happiness, social harmony, good harvests, and all that accords with roots of virtue; and ensure the health, renown, material gain, and honor of the teachers and students of the Dharma.”

6.69

Also at that moment, a bodhisattva great being known as Voice of Mahābrahmā, who dwelled on the tenth bhūmi, was present. He was attended by all the brahmās, māras, śakras, and so forth, {TK188} as well as Vaiśravaṇa, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, Maheśvara, [F.246.b] Nārāyaṇa, and the lords of the gods and asuras. He had the finest and most radiant complexion and the most exquisite ornamentation. In the guise of a woman, with female characteristics and deportment, he was seated before the thus-gone Śākyamuni. As an act of venerating the blessed buddhas, he proffered a wish-fulfilling jewel in his hands. The bodhisattva great being Voice of Mahābrahmā stared at the thus-gone Śākyamuni with unblinking eyes. He stared at him like he was the only thing in existence‍—something indescribable and unidentifiable.

6.70

The thus-gone Śākyamuni then asked Voice of Mahābrahmā, “Listen, why are you staring at me with unblinking eyes, as if I were the only thing in existence‍—something indescribable and unidentifiable? Is there any phenomenon that can be called ‘a buddha’ or ‘unidentifiable’? Likewise, the verbal elements in the statement ‘the afflictions of attachment, aggression, or delusion exist’ are merely conditional characteristics. The condition for such characteristics is ignorance. Due to the condition of ignorance, formations proliferate until cessation.”

6.71

“Blessed One,” responded Voice of Mahābrahmā, “if all these do not exist, why do you speak to me of ignorance? Blessed One, if there were no ignorance, from what would the twelve links of existence arise? Can we say they come from space {TK189} when space itself does not exist?”

6.72

“Noble son, that is correct,” answered the Blessed One, “for all the qualities of buddhahood are like space. Just as space is immaterial, is without characteristics, is neither darkness nor light, is neither thought nor concept, cannot be created or described, is unidentifiable, has no component parts, and has nothing to do with entities, likewise, O noble son, the qualities of buddhahood are [F.247.a] deemed to be the ultimate reality because they are suchness. Because they involve no increase or decrease, the qualities of buddhahood are neither high nor low. Because they have no component parts, the qualities of buddhahood are indescribable. Because they do not move and cannot be placed anywhere, the qualities of buddhahood are not material or entities, and they have no characteristics. Because they transcend verbal description, the qualities of buddhahood are not superimposed, for it is from false conceptualization that the links of existence arise.”

When he gave this teaching, eighty-four thousand beings developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

6.73

Then Māra, the evil one, demanded, “If the qualities of buddhahood are indescribable non-entities, like space, then why do you harm me in this way‍—oppressing me with wisdom, diligence, means, and courage? Why do you destroy my Māra domain? Why do you lead beings from my Māra domain? Why do you instruct them in the nature of illusion, which neither comes nor goes nor is identifiable in any way? When you guide beings in these trainings, no conduct that produces the afflictions can be seen in them. {TK190} For what reason are you assembling all these countless, infinite blessed buddhas, bodhisattva great beings, great hearers, great brahmās, śakras, four world protectors, maheśvaras, and gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas who have magical might and power, thus filling all the buddha fields, to go against me? Anyone who hears of this cruel act will be immediately struck with a splitting headache; their bodies will decompose [F.247.b] and begin to stink. Such is the mantra that you have spoken.”

6.74

At that moment, sixty-eight thousand māras, a countless infinitude of their retainers, and all the hostile yakṣas, rākṣasas, kumbhāṇḍas, and piśācas all declared with one voice, “As soon as we heard it, we too got headaches. Our bodies started decomposing, began to stink, and we suffered terribly.”

6.75

“Evil ones, remember what happened in the past!” countered the thus-gone Śākyamuni. “When I was sitting at the seat of awakening, you filled the area and the sky around me out to eighty leagues with the hordes of Māra, intent on killing me. And since that time you still send billions of māras and their retainers to kill me. Therefore, I have amassed a countless infinitude of blessed buddhas, bodhisattvas, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings, in order to tame, pacify, and end your torment. I have done so in order to tame, pacify, and end all the suffering of other māras, and so forth, as well as human and nonhuman beings. I have done this to instruct them in the nature of illusion, which neither comes nor goes nor is identifiable in any way. I have done so to dry up the river of saṃsāra in which all beings die and are reborn, and to help them reach the expanse of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates. {TK191}

6.76

“Evil ones, you should develop the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening right now! If you do so, you will immediately be freed from this unbearably painful headache, and ultimately you will actualize the qualities of buddhahood, which have the nature of space. You will even gain the superior domain of the buddhas, which far exceeds that of the māras.”

6.77

The sixty-four thousand māras, the countless infinitude of their retainers, and the hostile yakṣas, and so forth, as well as the hostile kaṭapūtanas, all declared with one voice, [F.248.a] “When we develop the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening, we shall actualize the qualities of buddhahood, which have the nature of space, and win the domain of the buddhas as well, superior above all.”

“Even if I were to have a headache until the end of time,” insisted Māra, the evil one, “I would never let such cunning make me develop the mind directed toward awakening.”

6.78

Voice of Mahābrahmā then declared, “I will also joyfully uphold all the Dharma teachings that have been taught before all the blessed buddhas here in this buddha field. I will uphold the teachings of the thus-gone Śākyamuni in this buddha field rife with the five degenerations, holding them as the most important. I will make this teaching‍—this Dharma method‍—shine until Śākyamuni’s own sun sets. I will bring the Dharma discourse of this dhāraṇī, which cannot be defeated by the hosts of Māra, {TK192} to all lands where it has not previously spread. And wherever it appears, I will ensure that it flourishes. I will defend all the noble sons and daughters in all the towns, villages, cities, and countries. I will protect them. I will turn away all harm. I will lead them to virtue and what is meaningful.

6.79

“Wherever the Dharma discourse of this dhāraṇī, which cannot be defeated by the hosts of Māra, is at least written down, or where there is a lion throne set for Dharma teachers who desire to teach it authentically, people should recite the following mantra at the outset. This mantra will summon me, and I will come to that place with my retinue. We will defend and safeguard those Dharma teachers and students. The mantra is:

6.80

avame avame amavare amavare parikuñja nāḍa nāḍa puśkaravahā [F.248.b] jalukha makhaya ili mili kili mili kīrticara mudre mudramukhe svāhā!

6.81

“Blessed One, Dharma teachers everywhere should remember this mantra at the start of their teachings. If I hear them with my divine ears of incredible purity and fail to come, I will have deceived all the thus-gone ones of the past, present, and future, and may I therefore not fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Therefore, Blessed One, I will go there and place {TK193} the feet of those Dharma teachers at the crown of my head. Because the eloquence of those Dharma teachers is fitting, I will support them.414 I will dispel all the sicknesses of those Dharma teachers and students. I will dispel their bad views and actions and all their doubts. Blessed One, wherever this Dharma teaching is taught, upheld, or mastered, I will travel there with my retinue and quell all discord, quarrels, famine, disease, fears, invasion by foreign powers, drought, unseasonable winds, heatwaves, and bad views and actions, as well as all fear of humans, nonhumans, and charnel grounds. Then I will dispel all that is inauspicious, bad dreams, evil omens, hostility, cruelty, meanness, bad tastes, snow, heat, foul odors, and things that are unpleasant to touch and poisonous. I will dispel the harm caused by heat and famine. I will dispel the fear of elephants, lions, tigers, buffaloes, wolves, poisonous snakes, thieves, rogues, humans, and nonhumans. There I will amass all sorts of wealth, grain, herbs, flowers, fruits, juices, [F.249.a] food, drink, clothing, and bedding for the beings’ use and enjoyment. In whatever land this Dharma teaching is held, upheld, read, mastered, or taught, there we will dispel violence toward each individual being. I will bring about what is beneficial, pleasant, and mentally satisfying for the beings’ use and enjoyment. {TK194} I will encourage beings to also desire the Dharma and engage in virtuous actions. I make these aspirations before all the blessed buddhas! All of you blessed buddhas, please be compassionate toward me! May the blessed buddhas bestow the mastery that functions to fulfill all that one wishes for in order to realize this power.”

6.82

At that moment, Śākyamuni and all the blessed buddhas directed their compassion to Voice of Mahābrahmā and said, “Voice of Mahābrahmā, because of this aspiration you shall obtain the great power to summon śakras, brahmās, all the world protectors, and the other gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras who appreciate the Dharma. We shall give this mantra to Voice of Mahābrahmā.”

6.83

Then the blessed buddhas made the aspiration, “May accomplishment come to Voice of Mahābrahmā. The mantra is:

camuṇḍe muṇḍaparichede ha mūha ha mūha saṃrakṣavala kṛṣṇamikha parivaha camarayatha ca suvikha amuhula parichede sarvabuddhādhiṣṭhite svāhā!” {TK195}

6.84

The thus-gone Śākyamuni said, “Noble son, [F.249.b] this dhāraṇī can summon and inspire all māras, śakras, brahmās, and world protectors, as well as the other gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, and human and nonhuman beings of great splendor. It is upheld and blessed by all the buddhas. Due to its blessings you will be able to master such great powers.”

6.85

“Blessed One,” replied Voice of Mahābrahmā, “I will guard this Dharma method in the guise of a woman. I will also protect women. Blessed One, should a woman desire sons, I will fulfill her wishes if she upholds this Dharma teaching by keeping it, reading it, mastering it, or writing it down. In that way any woman can be protected, for if she holds, reads, . . . or listens to this Dharma teaching then, even if she experiences desire, she will not be attached to the womb. When a woman who is free from all negative and apprehensive conduct and behavior reads this Dharma teaching, all her wishes will be fulfilled, and she will be filled with all forms of abundant happiness. I offer these two precious gems to all the blessed buddhas in order to guard this Dharma teaching and fulfill the wishes of all.”

“Noble son, thus it is,” responded the Blessed One. “You will thus guard and protect it.” {TK196}

6.86

This concludes the chapter on the dhāraṇīs, the sixth in the “Ratnaketu” section of the Great Collection. {TK197} [B7]

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}

Chapter 9

9.1

The blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni then said, “O all you [F.258.a] blessed buddhas who have come here to this buddha field motivated by compassion to engage in discussion, please give these beings your attention. These noble children will satisfy others with clothing, food, drink, medicine, and supplies. They will use the female form to mature others for unsurpassed and perfect awakening. From the moment they developed the mind of awakening in order to mature others, they have been dedicated to emanating and providing clothing, food, drink, medicine, and supplies to fulfill their hopes‍—no matter what, why, or how these things are desired. These sublime beings will enact this great power and be able to serve beings with what is enjoyable and useful.”

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?”

11.

Chapter 11

11.1

Now the blessed, thus-gone Śākyamuni addressed Śakra, Brahmā, Virūḍhaka, Virūpākṣa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Kubera:

“O sublime beings, I have fully realized unsurpassed and perfect awakening in this buddha field, which is afflicted by the five degenerations and lacking in Dharma, through my compassionate dedication to sentient beings. In order to quell the pain of beings441 thrown into the darkness of ignorance and overwhelmed by the thieves and rogues of the afflictions,442 I have conquered the faction of Māra, raised the banner of the sacred Dharma, delivered countless beings from suffering, rained showers of the sacred Dharma, and defeated ten million māras.

12.

Chapter 12

12.1

The great general of the yakṣas, [F.271.b] Āṭavaka, in the form of the yakṣa Bhīṣaṇaka, and Saṃjñika in the form of a deer, Jñānolka in the form of a monkey, Tṛṣṇājaha in the form of a jackal,455 and Chinnasrotas in the form of an elephant‍—these five great beings‍—were sitting not too far from the thus-gone Śākyamuni and in front of the thus-gone Kauṇḍiṇyārcis. From each of their bodies a pure light radiated, suffused with fragrance. Each of these five great beings was holding in his hands a great precious gem called Starlight for the sake of worshipping the Blessed One.456

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.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.215

“Instructions” is not in the Tib.

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.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.455

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

n.456

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

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.

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

g.2

Absorption

ting nge ’dzin

ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།

samādhi

g.3

Acceptance

bzod pa

བཟོད་པ།

kṣānti

g.6

Afflictions

nyon mongs

ཉོན་མོངས།

kleśa

g.8

Aggregate

phung po

ཕུང་པོ།

skandha

g.12

Akṣobhya

mi ’khrugs pa

མི་འཁྲུགས་པ།

Akṣobhya

g.13

Amitāyus

tshe dpag med

ཚེ་དཔག་མེད།

Amitāyus

g.20

Asura

lha ma yin

ལྷ་མ་ཡིན།

asura

g.23

Āṭavaka

’brog gnas

འབྲོག་གནས།

Āṭavaka

g.24

Awakening

byang chub

བྱང་ཆུབ།

bodhi

g.29

Bhīṣaṇaka

’jigs ’jigs

འཇིགས་འཇིགས།

Bhīṣaṇaka

g.30

Bhūteśvara

phun sum tshogs pa’i dbang phyug

ཕུན་སུམ་ཚོགས་པའི་དབང་ཕྱུག

Bhūteśvara

g.31

Black faction

nag po’i phyogs

ནག་པོའི་ཕྱོགས།

kṛṣṇapakṣa

g.32

Blessed one

bcom ldan ’das

བཅོམ་ལྡན་འདས།

bhagavat

g.33

Blissful one

bde bar gshegs pa

བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།

sugata

g.36

Bodhisattva

byang chub sems dpa’

བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།

bodhisattva

g.37

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

brahmā

g.38

Brahmā

tshangs pa

ཚངས་པ།

Brahmā

g.40

Buddha

sangs rgyas

སངས་རྒྱས།

buddha

g.41

Caitya

mchod rten

མཆོད་རྟེན།

caitya

g.44

Candraprabha

zla ’od

ཟླ་འོད།

Candraprabha

g.46

Chinnasrotas

rgyun bcad pa

རྒྱུན་བཅད་པ།

Chinnasrotas

g.49

Consciousness

rnam par shes pa

རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།

vijñāna

g.53

Delighting in Emanations

’phrul dga’

འཕྲུལ་དགའ།

Nirmāṇarati

g.60

Dhāraṇī

gzungs

གཟུངས།

dhāraṇī

g.61

Dhāraṇī-seal

gzungs kyi phyag rgya

གཟུངས་ཀྱི་ཕྱག་རྒྱ།

dhāraṇīmudrā

g.62

Dharma

chos

ཆོས།

dharma

g.63

Dharma discourse

chos kyi rnam grangs

ཆོས་ཀྱི་རྣམ་གྲངས།

dharmaparyāya

g.64

Dharma method

chos kyi tshul

ཆོས་ཀྱི་ཚུལ།

dharmanetrī

g.65

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

yul ’khor srung

ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་།

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

g.66

Diligence

brtson ’grus

བརྩོན་འགྲུས།

vīrya

g.68

Discriminating Intellect

shin tu rnam par phye ba’i blo gros

ཤིན་ཏུ་རྣམ་པར་ཕྱེ་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།

g.72

Dundubhisvara

rnga sgra

རྔ་སྒྲ།

Dundubhisvara

g.73

Durdharṣa

thub dka’

ཐུབ་དཀའ།

Durdharṣa

g.80

Element

khams

ཁམས།

dhātu

g.81

Exposition

lung bstan

ལུང་བསྟན།

vyākaraṇa

g.83

Factors of awakening

byang chub kyi phyogs kyi chos

བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས།

bodhipakṣadharma

g.85

Five acts of immediate retribution

mtshams med pa byed pa

མཚམས་མེད་པ་བྱེད་པ།

pañcānantarya

g.87

Five degenerations

snyigs ma lnga

སྙིགས་མ་ལྔ།

pañcakaṣāya

g.89

Form

gzugs

གཟུགས།

rūpa

g.90

Formation

’du byed

འདུ་བྱེད།

saṃskāra

g.95

Four Great Kings

rgyal po chen po bzhi

རྒྱལ་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་བཞི།

caturmahārāja

g.101

Free from Strife

’thab bral

འཐབ་བྲལ།

Yāma

g.102

Gandharva

dri za

དྲི་ཟ།

gandharva

g.103

Gaṅgā

gang gA

གང་གཱ

Gaṅgā

g.104

Garuḍa

nam mkha’ lding

ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།

garuḍa

g.110

Glorious and Brilliantly Shining Jewel

nor bu ’od ’bar ba dpal

ནོར་བུ་འོད་འབར་བ་དཔལ།

g.111

God

ལྷ།

deva

g.114

Great brahmā

tshangs pa chen po

ཚངས་པ་ཆེན་པོ།

mahābrahmā

g.116

Hearer

nyan thos

ཉན་ཐོས།

śrāvaka

g.120

Holder of Meru’s Peak

lhun po’i rtse ’dzin

ལྷུན་པོའི་རྩེ་འཛིན།

g.123

Insight

shes rab

ཤེས་རབ།

prajñā

g.124

Intelligent Light

’od kyi blo gros

འོད་ཀྱི་བློ་གྲོས།

g.125

Intelligent Lightning

glog gi blo gros

གློག་གི་བློ་གྲོས།

g.126

Intelligent Sky

nam mkha’i blo gros

ནམ་མཁའི་བློ་གྲོས།

g.127

Jambu

’dzam bu

འཛམ་བུ།

Jambu

g.129

Jayamati

rgyal ba’i blo gros

རྒྱལ་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།

Jayamati

g.130

Jinamati

Jinamati

g.132

Jñānaraśmirāja

ye shes kyi ’od zer

ཡེ་ཤེས་ཀྱི་འོད་ཟེར།

Jñānaraśmirāja

g.133

Jñānolka

shes pa’i sgron ma

ཤེས་པའི་སྒྲོན་མ།

Jñānolka

g.139

Kalandakanivāpa

bya ka lan ta ka

བྱ་ཀ་ལན་ཏ་ཀ

Kalandakanivāpa

g.141

Karma

ལས།

karman

g.143

Kaṭapūtana

’byung po
lus srul po

འབྱུང་པོ།
ལུས་སྲུལ་པོ།

kaṭapūtana

g.146

Kauṇḍiṇyārcis

kauN+Di n+ya ’od ’phro ba

ཀཽཎྜི་ནྱ་འོད་འཕྲོ་བ།

Kauṇḍiṇyārcis

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī Chapter 6

Toh 138

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī
Chapter 6