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རིན་པོ་ཆེ་ཏོག་གི་གཟུངས།

The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī
Chapter 4

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
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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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co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
+ 13 chapters- 13 chapters
h. Homage
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
c. Colophon
+ 1 section- 1 section
· Tibetan Translators’ Colophon
ab. Abbreviations
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
· Primary literature (manuscripts and editions)
+ 2 sections- 2 sections
· Sanskrit
· Tibetan
· Translations and secondary literature:
g. Glossary

s.

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.


i.

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

h.

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}


1.

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.


2.

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?”


3.

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.”


4.

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:

4.­2
“Though the excellent Dharma-leader abides in the state without sorrow,
The fine teachings of the victorious ones are in desperate straits.
If beings now see this nonsense directed at his disciples,
How will they come to have faith?” {4.1}
4.­3

Then, many hundreds of thousands of millions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas,216 and rākṣasas, their faces bathed in tears, approached the Blessed One. Standing before him, they said:

4.­4
“Please consider, O Blessed One,
The predicament of your instructions at this moment. {TK97}
Do not neglect, O omniscient one,
The preservation of the practice thereof.” {4.2} {K87}
4.­5

The Blessed One replied:

“If so, I will go there myself,
And, having defeated Māra and his mounted forces,217
I will put the whole of humanity
On the road to the city of nirvāṇa.” {4.3}
4.­6

All those gathered there pleaded with one voice, “Do not go, O Blessed One! [F.217.b] Have you not said before that the domains of the blessed buddhas, the māras, and the nāgas, and of the acts they commit, are inconceivable? Among all these domains, that of the buddhas is preeminent. The Blessed One can, while sitting right on his seat, defeat tens of millions of māras, explain tens of millions of Dharma treatises, dry up the ocean of afflictions, tear up the net of wrong views, and submerge tens of millions of beings in the ocean of wisdom. The time is not right for the Blessed One to go now.”

4.­7

The Blessed One replied, “Even if all beings, however many there are in the inhabited realms, were to become māras, and if all the particles of dust, however many there are on earth, were individually mobilized by his power to advance toward me in order to take my life, they would not be able to harm even a single hair on my body. Whereas I, sitting on this very seat, would be able to defeat tens of millions of billions of māras, except for Māra himself along with his personal retinue.

4.­8

“I will go back so that the entire great city of Rājagṛha becomes adorned by the māras offering worship to me {TK98} with marvelous displays magically created by the power of Māra. I will use this event to inspire them with compassion, so that these māras, when supreme appreciation and faith are born in them, will create the roots of virtue necessary to realize unsurpassed and perfect awakening.” {K88}

4.­9

When the Blessed One was thus about to get up from his seat, Prabhāvaśobhanā, the guardian deity of Veṇuvana, stood in front of him with a tearful face and insisted:

“This is not the right time, O Blessed One, to enter
The city that is presently crawling with māras.
Each one of them is exceedingly fierce
And surrounded by ten million others, O leonine teacher! {4.4}
4.­10
“Wild with anger, [F.218.a] they brandish sharp weapons.
They bide their time, their disturbed minds bent on killing you.
You should not enter the city under any circumstances, O lord,
Lest you meet your own destruction,218 O kinsman of the world!” {4.5}
4.­11

When the Blessed One did, nevertheless, get up from his seat, the goddess of the monastery, Dyutimati, bowed her head to his feet and said:

“Five thousand evil ones
Are waiting with their weapons.
These cruel māras are expecting you;
You should not go today, O great sage!” {4.6}
4.­12

When the Blessed One did, nevertheless, walk out of the monastery, {TK99} the medicine goddess, Siddhimati, bowed her head to his feet and said:

“If the lamp of the world perishes,
Alas, the path will be lost,
The Dharma methods will be destroyed,
And the ship of Dharma will sink. {4.7}
4.­13
“The exalted essence of the Dharma is waning in the entire world,
Which is overflowing with the fierce and vile afflictions.
I have some power over the earth and the power {K89}
To prevent the destruction of the Blissful One, the best of sages.219 {4.8}
4.­14
“There are many violent beings in this place intent on killing you.
Dedicated to evil ways, they are waiting with their sharp axes and swords.
Please heed my plea, O Blissful One, on how to protect the world.
Do not enter the city, O mountain with the ten strengths who has accomplished his journey!”220 {4.9}
4.­15

But the Blessed One set forth from the monastery courtyard. The tree goddess Dyutindharā, wailing most piteously, bowed her head to his feet and pleaded:

4.­16
“Lord! The moment that you‍—the sage who fulfills all wishes and accomplishes all aims‍—
Have perished, the entire threefold universe will be deprived of its eyesight.
Warriors with snake-like tongues and flaming mouths, armed with sharp swords and arrows,
Roam the sky above, intent on killing you. Do not go there now!” {4.10} {TK100}
4.­17

When the Blessed One approached the covered gate passage, the goddess thereof, Jyotivaruṇā by name, wailing in a loud voice, bowed her head to his feet and said:

4.­18
“In that fine city, there are twenty thousand [F.218.b] so-called brahmins.
They are looking for you, armed with flaming swords, knives, and arrows, and devoid of mercy.
Twenty thousand of them, pitiless and cruel even to one another,221
Are waiting not far from here to kill you. Please, do not go, O fair-faced one!” {4.11}
4.­19

When the Blessed One nevertheless entered the gate passage, the protector goddess of the city of Rājagṛha, Tamālasārā by name, {K90} crying out from the sky in a loud voice, hastily approached him, bowed her head to his feet, and warned:

4.­20
“What is more, O Blessed One, the road from here is overrun with lions, camels, and rutting elephants.
The māras have set up ambushes to endanger the monks.
Also, the followers of other religions are poised to eliminate you, the Teacher, from this earth.
Out of compassion for the gods and the nāgas, please don’t go, O lighted lamp with a thunderous voice! {4.12}
4.­21
“O blessed tamer of māras! The lords of humans, gods, serpentine beings, and kinnaras,
Disturbed by the possible destruction of your doctrine, have joined together.
Frightened, they chase the māras,
And also the magically created figures with grotesquely disfigured faces. {4.13}
4.­22
“Seeing the impending demise of the sacred Dharma, the calamities befalling the world, {TK101}
The sky with the light of the constellations all gone, and the unsteadiness of the sun and the moon,
Virtuous people cannot bear it; beating their heads,222
Dreading that the Blissful One may perish, they can only exclaim, ‘Alas! Woe is us!’ {4.14}
4.­23
“The sun of the doctrine is setting.
The meteor of the Dharma is fading out.
Death is trampling down upon the perfect Buddha.
The water of the Dharma is drying up. {4.15}
4.­24
“When the ruin of the followers
Of the sacred Dharma has approached,
There will be, in this world,
A proliferation of nonvirtuous māras.” {4.16} {K91}
4.­25

Seeing that the Blessed One would not turn back, the goddess shed even more tears and begged:

“Please have regard, O sage, for this entire world!
Do not go, O best of speakers, to your destruction today!
If you meet your doom in my city,
I would be forever blamed by the threefold universe. {4.17}
4.­26
“Heed my plea, O Guide, the best of beings!
Do not go to destruction in my city today,
But, out of compassion for beings, wait here,
Liberating them from the fear and [F.219.a] pain of rebirth! {4.18}
4.­27
“Remember your former pledge, O Thus-Gone One‍—
‘When I attain the ultimate state, may I become a savior
Of the many beings afflicted by great suffering!’
Give comfort, O supreme being, to all those who draw breath.223 {4.19}
4.­28
“Remain, O best of embodied beings, for many millions of eons! {TK102}
Alas! The naive are caught up in sense objects.
To give them peace, please show them the Dharma path leading to
The realization that the sense bases and faculties are empty by nature!” {4.20}
4.­29

But the Blessed One advanced farther along the gate passage. The earth goddess, Dṛḍhā, together with ten thousand other deities each endowed with great vigor, her face bathed in tears and hair disheveled, stood before the Blessed One with folded hands {K92} and pleaded:

4.­30
“Remember the gifts224 that you made in the past‍—
Your blood that would fill the four oceans;
Your head and bones, enough to form the Cakravāḍa range;225
Your eyes, numerous as the grains of sand in the Gaṅgā; {4.21}
4.­31
“Your various jewels, given away in the past;
And your sons, daughters, elephants, horses,
Houses, clothes, beds, food, drink,
And medicine needed by the sick. {4.22}
4.­32
“You offered supreme worship to the self-arisen ones,226
Carefully guarded your discipline,
Always applied yourself to forbearance and study,
And honored your mother and father. {4.23}
4.­33
“You practiced endless difficult austerities
And freed beings from their many afflictions.
In the past, at the very start, you made the following vow:
‘May I become a buddha who shows the absolute truth227 {4.24}
4.­34
“ ‘And saves humanity from the great ocean of suffering! {TK103}
May I teach the Dharma to the world!
May I uproot craving and the great fears!228
May I dispel all suffering! {4.25}
4.­35
“ ‘May I lead multitudes of beings to the city of fearlessness
By establishing them on the path to supreme awakening! {K93}
May I liberate those afflicted with much suffering229
And fulfill all the needs of beings!’230 {4.26}
4.­36
“Forgive those, O lord, who have strayed from the path
And commit evil in this world, ruining their learning and discipline.
Save them! Remember your vow!
Continue to teach the Dharma for many millions of eons! {4.27}
4.­37
“Ferry the beings, O lord, across the sea of suffering!
Wash them with the water possessed of the eight qualities!231
There is no being in the threefold universe
Who could be as eminent as you, O lord. {4.28} [F.219.b]
4.­38
“Liberated yourself, may you liberate the world as well!
Save the world from the ocean of the three realms,
For you are a buddha, and the sole kinsman of the world.
Remain forever and share the Dharma with others.” {4.29}
4.­39

The Blessed One, however, proceeded farther along the gate passage. At that moment many hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and rākṣasas, their faces bathed in tears, flew through the sky, imploring him:

4.­40
“First, during the time of peace, we saw blissful ones
Who trained their students well,
Instructing them in the Dharma in full
Without being blocked in the manner it is happening now. {4.30} {K94}
4.­41
“This teacher, one of great intelligence, {TK104}
Has attained the self-arisen state during the degenerate period.
He, the lord of sages, has taught the Dharma in this world,
Which is obscured by the afflictions, for the sake of bringing beings to maturity. {4.31}
4.­42
“While this leonine speaker remains here,
One billion evil ones
Are bringing ruin upon the Dharma.
Do not enter the city today, O valiant Buddha!” {4.32}
4.­43

Another goddess warned:

“The former victors, engaged for the sake of the world’s welfare,
Turned the wheel of the Dharma in just one place.
This one, however, preaches wherever he travels.232
There is a risk that calamity will befall him in such places!” {4.33}
4.­44

Another goddess said:

“This leader, out of compassion, has wandered around
And has benefited beings in great measure.233
My only concern, however, is that today
He might perish in this city.” {4.34}
4.­45

Under these circumstances, many hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas descended from the sky above with forlorn expressions on their tear-soaked faces. Arraying themselves before the Blessed One, they acted in many different, self-harming ways.

4.­46

Some pulled out their hair. Some cast off their adornments. Some {K95} threw away their parasols, banners, and flags. Some threw themselves on the ground. Some took hold of the Blessed One’s feet. Some wailed most piteously. Some beat their breasts {TK105} with their hands. Some, standing at the Blessed One’s feet, spun in circles like the madgu234 bird. Some, standing in front of the Blessed One with folded hands, bowed to him and recited praises. [F.220.a] And some showered upon him flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, scented oils, clothes, adornments, golden thread, strings of pearls, and fine cloth. Some others, numbering tens of millions, chanted the following in a single loud voice:

4.­47
“You have practiced many austerities
For the great benefit of the world.
Now that your time here is limited,
Please be equanimous. Stay! Don’t leave! {4.35}
4.­48
“Your buddha activity, O faultless one, has been accomplished only in part.
Only a few gods and humans have been called to witness you.
You should remain, teaching the Dharma for a long time to come,
Thus delivering beings from the ocean of the threefold existence. {4.36}
4.­49
“There are many beings practicing good conduct.
With their good seeds ripening, they have become vessels for the elixir of the Dharma.
You should feel compassion for them and teach them235 the meaning.
You should deliver the pitiful world from the river of suffering. {4.37}
4.­50
“You should show the right path
To those who have lost their way in the wilderness of saṃsāra
And have strayed into the thick forest of various destinies. {K96}
You should deliver them with words of the supreme noble Dharma. {4.38} {TK106}
4.­51
“Your most marvelous and wonderful act of compassion
Was the turning of the wheel of the sublime Dharma.
Please remain for a long time, O most intelligent one!
Let humankind not be deprived of a protector!” {4.39}
4.­52

Another goddess said:

“Should the Guide perish,236
The entire world will be rendered blind.
The eightfold path‍—the cause of the threefold liberation‍—
Will not exist in this world in any way whatsoever. {4.40}
4.­53
“We have carefully planted virtuous seeds
Sprung from body, speech, and mind,
And are thus now surrounded by every type of comfort.
May this spring of merit not be lost!” {4.41}
4.­54

Now many hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods from the Pure Abode gathered together and said:

“Do not fret! The Sage, one of vast intellect,
Will not come to grief of any kind,
Even though tens of millions of māras have arrived on earth.
This virtue is clearly evident to us. {4.42} [F.220.b]
4.­55
“The terrifying army of Māra has battalions stretching all around for thirty-six leagues, primed to move swiftly and with devastating force,
Armed with barbed missiles, scimitars, and enormous swords, and making a lot of raucous sounds. {TK107}
Having now advanced as far as the seat of awakening, it has now approached its own demise.
Today it will instantly become terrified of Siddhartha;237 how then could it create obstacles for the one whose fame has spread far and wide?” {4.43} {K97}
4.­56

Another goddess said in tears:

“This army consisted in the past of a single māra and wasn’t very strong.
But now, tens of thousands of millions of māras strong, it is very powerful. {4.44}
I fear that the leader of the world will meet his doom,
And that after his demise, this world will spiral into darkness.” {4.45}
4.­57

Then Śakra, Brahmā, and the world protectors clasped the feet of the Blessed One and pleaded:

“Remain here, O holy one! Please follow the advice, O champion of compassion,
Of the two of us, inferior to you in intelligence.
Many tens of millions of gods are afflicted with profound anguish.
Please besprinkle them now with the nectar of Dharma!” {4.46}
4.­58

The Blessed One then looked at the entire congregation, eyes wide with loving kindness, and uttered the following words to comfort them, his voice as sweet as Brahmā’s:

“Don’t fret! You must not be afraid now!
Not even all the māras together, riding upon their mounts,
The whole lot of them, would be able to trouble
A single hair of mine, let alone my whole body. {4.47}
4.­59
“I will console the entire world today
And will always teach the Dharma on this earth. {TK108}
To those who have lost their way,
I will duly divulge it with lucid instructions.238 {4.48} {K98}
4.­60
“In the past I performed many difficult austerities
And distributed food and drink in abundance,
As well as many houses and much medicine.
Who would be able to harm me today? {4.49}
4.­61
“I gave away horses, chariots, and elephants;
So also ornaments and adornments,
Female and male servants, cities and kingdoms.
Who would be able to harm me today? {4.50}
4.­62
“For the benefit of beings I gave away
My wives, sons, daughters, and other family members,
As well as the royal power desired on earth and my royal lineage.
How then could my body be destroyed today? {4.51}
4.­63
“I gave my head, both my eyes, ears, nose, [F.221.a]
Hands and feet, flesh, skin, and blood.
I even gave my own life for the embodied beings in this world.
Who, then, would be able to hurt me? {4.52}
4.­64
“With my own hands, I presented huge offerings to many
Tens of millions of buddhas, worshiping them with devotion.
I always delighted in practicing discipline, study, and acceptance.
Who, then, would be able to injure me today? {4.53}
4.­65
“I formerly practiced difficult austerities
With my mind completely focused in absorption.
If there was no anger in my mind even when my body was being butchered, {TK109}
Who would be able to hurt me today? {4.54} {K99}
4.­66
“With my afflictions pacified, I am a fully self-controlled buddha
With my mind full of love for all beings.
I have no envy, harshness, or anger.
No one will be able to stand in my way today. {4.55}
4.­67
“I have gained victory over the entire army of Māra
And defeated many tens of millions of māras.
I will definitely liberate you from saṃsāra,
So don’t be afraid. Why would I not enter the city? {4.56}
4.­68
“Any buddhas dwelling, for the sake of beings,
In the ten directions,
I will engage them here,
Along with the bodhisattvas with great magical powers.239 {4.57}
4.­69
“I will completely fill all the buddha fields.
There, I will institute merit and wisdom.
And when those buddhas are properly abiding,240
I will fulfill the intentions of the buddhas. {4.58}
4.­70

On that occasion, infinite and innumerable hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, and human and nonhuman beings applauded the Blessed One by exclaiming, “Homage to the one endowed with infinite diligence who has the power to work miracles and wonders! Homage, homage to the Blessed Buddha who is thus endowed! {TK110} The world and its gods have been comforted by the Blessed One, and the followers of Māra defeated. The filth of the afflictions that bind beings to existence has been dispelled. {K100} The mountain of their arrogance has been split asunder. The tree of birth [F.221.b] has been cut down, the sun of death241 turned to powder, the darkness of ignorance dispelled, the followers of other religions brought to have faith, the four rivers dried up, the torch of the Dharma lit, and the path to awakening shown.

4.­71

“Beings have been established in acceptance and gentleness, caused to playfully abide in the bliss of meditation, and made to realize the four truths of the noble ones. The world and its gods have been ferried across the ocean of births by the most compassionate, blessed teacher. Sentient beings have been transported to the city of fearlessness.”

4.­72

Then the gods and humans worshiped the Blessed One with sundry flowers, incense, perfume, garlands,242 ornaments, and adornments and swept the road for his sake. They covered it243 in celestial cloth, calico, and flowers, including celestial flowers such as mandārava and great mandārava, pāruṣaka and great pāruṣaka, mañjuṣaka and great mañjuṣaka, and roca and great roca, as well as blue, red, and white lotus flowers. In the places where the Blessed One would put his feet {TK111} on the road, they conjured up, on either side, trees made of the seven precious gems, and adorned them with celestial cloth,244 calico, and hand, ear, and head adornments. Between the trees, they conjured up celestial lotus ponds with cool and sweet water, completely limpid and free of turbidity. These were filled with water possessing eight qualities245 and adorned all around with the seven precious gems.

4.­73

In the space above, they held up parasols made from the seven precious gems, banners, flags, golden thread, and strings of pearls. They sent showers of dust made of gold, silver, and beryl, and the powders of aloeswood, crape jasmine, white sandalwood, and benjamin, and the leaves of the tamāla tree. {K101} They sprinkled powdered gośīrṣa and uragasāra sandalwood upon the road. They also adorned the entire firmament with golden thread, strings of pearls, [F.222.a] and loose jewels and pearls, as well as various other ornaments. Outside the city the gods and humans decorated the road in order to worship the Blessed One, while inside, the māras and their retinues created beautiful magical displays in order to worship him.

4.­74

At this time the Blessed One entered the absorption called becoming indestructible and, immersed in it, proceeded on his way down the road. {TK112} He advanced on the road assuming various physical forms and features with their corresponding modes of deportment. Those beings who were devoted to Brahmā and capable of being guided by him saw the Blessed One walking in the form of Brahmā. Those who were capable of being guided by Śakra, Nārāyaṇa, Maheśvara, the Four Great Kings, a universal monarch, the master of a castle, a great sage,246 a monk, a princely youth, a woman, a lion, an elephant, a nāga, or an asura saw the Blessed One in that respective form. Those who were devoted to and capable of being guided by rabbits saw the Blessed One with the form and features of a rabbit, advancing on the road in the manner of a rabbit. Those capable of being guided by buddhas saw the Blessed One with the form and features of a buddha, advancing on the road in the manner of a buddha. All these beings walked along close together with folded hands, one after the other, bowing and singing praises.

4.­75

At that time, the sage Jyotīrasa, who lived next to the Himalayas, {K102} spurred on by Māra,247 arrived in the vicinity of the gates of the great city of Rājagṛha, along with his retinue of five hundred. [F.222.b]248When he saw the Blessed One proceeding down the road in the form, features, color, shape, deportment, and style of a sage, and the many billions of gods {TK113} diligently venerating him, he had the following thought:

4.­76

“Truly, this man is a great sage with tremendous power. He is worthy of veneration and both gods and humans are venerating him. His entire body is ornamented with the marks of merit. I can see that he is a learned preceptor. I would like to check to see which of the two of us is elder and more learned. So, I will go before him and inquire about his caste, family lineage, dwelling place, and ascetic discipline.”

4.­77

Then the sage Jyotīrasa gazed upon his retinue and announced:

“There is one who is educated, honest, disciplined, venerable, and worthy of veneration.
He possesses wisdom and the meaningful Dharma‍—this supreme sage fully knows the path of acceptance.
You all should join him, offering him respectful veneration,
And listen to the man of such qualities delivering his well-spoken doctrine that ends saṃsāra.” {4.59}
4.­78

All the young brahmins in his retinue pledged with one voice that they would do as their preceptor had instructed. The sage Jyotīrasa and his retinue then went to the Blessed One. Standing before the Blessed One, they joined their palms and asked, “Who are you?”

The Blessed One answered, “I am a brahmin.”

4.­79

“What is your family lineage?”

“I am of the Gautama family lineage.”

“What is your ascetic discipline?”

“My ascetic discipline is the threefold liberation.”

4.­80

“What is your practice?”

“I practice suchness, the ultimate reality.”

“How long has it been since you went forth?”

“I have gone forth {TK114} since ignorance arose.”

4.­81

“Great Sage, can you explain the Vedic teachings of astrology?”

The Blessed One responded, “When one is free from superimposition, everything is the same. [F.223.a] So from that perspective, what is the point of worldly knowledge?”

“It delights the learned,” replied the sage.

4.­82

“Where do the stars abide?” asked the Blessed One.

The sage answered, “There are said to be the twenty-eight constellations that are supported by, and follow, the sun and the moon. In relation to the measurement by fingers,249 there are thirty-eight. Using this measurement by fingers, there are twelve fingers lengthwise within the body where the stars abide. With one measure of a finger at the brain in the head and one measure of a finger at the soles of the feet, there are a total of fourteen such fingers within the body. What exists at those locations does not change into anything else. Thus, the way one is follows the star under which one is born. What else is there? Let me explain. Please listen, Great Sage!

4.­83
“Those who have a mole on the right side of their face
At the location of four fingers,250
A black beard, and ruddy hue
Are born under the constellation Kṛttikā. {4.60}
4.­84
“They will have wealth and fame,
They will be learned, and their glory will spread.
These are the signs of those
Who are born under Kṛttikā. {4.61}
4.­85
“Those who have a mole
At the location of four fingers251
Are born under the constellation Rohiṇī. {TK115}
They will be knowledgeable and constantly delight in the Dharma. {4.62}
4.­86
“Learned and with abundant wealth,
Beautiful in all respects,
Heroic and always victorious,
They will defeat all their enemies. {4.63}
4.­87
“Whoever has a mark resembling fire
At the location half a finger from252 the neck
Is born under the constellation Mṛgaśirā
And will be heroic and wealthy. {4.64}
4.­88
“Whoever has a mole on the left side,
At the location of half a finger,253
Is born under the constellation Ārdrā
And will be angry and foolish, but wealthy. {4.65}
4.­89
“Those who have moles in the left armpit
Are born under the constellation Punarvasū.
They will have wealth and be rich in grain,
Yet their mental resources will be limited. {4.66}
4.­90
“Yet you, born under the constellation Puṣyā,
Have the finest marks.
On the palms of your hands there are wheels
That beautify you like the sun. {4.67}
4.­91
“All the hair on your head
Twists upward to the right.
Your body is of equal proportions.
You, O leader, have tamed your afflictions. {4.68} [F.223.b]
4.­92
“With a mark at the heart center resembling fire, {TK116}
Those born under the constellation Āśleṣā will crave violence.
Their discipline will be corrupt, and they will trouble their companions.
They will delight in sexual misconduct. {4.69}
4.­93
“Those who have a mole resembling a pea,
Whether down low, on the front, or on the back,
Are born under the constellation Maghā.
They will be wealthy and disciplined religious people. {4.70}
4.­94
“Those who have birthmarks
On both the left and right of the navel
Are born under the constellation Pūrvaphalgunī
And will be stingy and have a short life. {4.71}
4.­95
“Those who have a mole
Four fingers below the navel
Are born under the constellation Uttaraphalgunī.
Wealthy and disciplined, upon death they will go to the higher realms. {4.72}
4.­96
“Those born under the constellation Hastā
Will have a red mole on the buttocks.
They will thieve, deceive, and defraud.
Their merit is trifling and their intelligence meager. {4.73}
4.­97
“Those who have a mole on their penis
Are definitely
Born under the constellation Citrā.
Their preference will be for song and dance. {4.74}
4.­98
“Those who have a yellow mole,
Either above or below the penis,
Are born under the constellation Svāti. {TK117}
They are not learned, but desirous and often angry. {4.75}
4.­99
“Those who, at one finger of both thighs,254
Have a red mole
Are perfect lords born under the constellation Viśākhā
And will be attended by men and women, {4.76}
4.­100
“Learned and brave, defeating their enemies,
Always enjoying a pleasant life,
Modest, intelligent, and reliable.
Having died, they will be reborn in the higher realms. {4.77}
4.­101
“Those who have a mole like a pea
At one finger of both thighs255
Practice discipline and are born under the constellation of Anurādhā.
They have both Dharma and enjoyments. {4.78}
4.­102
“Those who have a mole underneath their thighs
Are born under the constellation Jyeṣṭhā.
They are ugly, short-lived, and corrupt in discipline.
They are neither ethical nor compassionate. {4.79}
4.­103
“Those who have, on both knees,
Small birthmarks
Are charismatic people born under the constellation Mūlā.
They will swiftly destroy their own homes.256 {4.80}
4.­104
“Those born under the constellation Pūrvāṣāḍhā
Have moles on their kneecaps.
They practice charity and desire the Dharma path.
At death, they go to the higher realms. {4.81}
4.­105
“Those born under the constellation Uttarāṣāḍhā {TK118}
Have moles on their elbows.
In that regard, they are intelligent,
Wealthy, and loving toward others. {4.82}
4.­106
“They who have moles on both elbows
Are born under the constellation Śravaṇā.
They are always wealthy, healthy, and loving toward others. [F.224.a]
At death, they go to the higher realms. {4.83}
4.­107
“Those who have black moles on their calves
Are born under the constellation Dhaniṣṭhā.
They will have little anger or desire.
They will have no wealth, but they will be wise. {4.84}
4.­108
“Those who have black moles
At the finger measure257 on their calves
Are born under the constellation Śatabhiṣā.
They are foolish and will end up drowning. {4.85}
4.­109
“Those who have something like a scar at the finger below their calves
Are born under the constellation Pūrvabhadrapadā.
They are foolish and prone to injure others,
Are destitute, and often steal. {4.86}
4.­110
“Those who have moles throughout their finger measures
Are born under the constellation Uttarabhadrapadā.
They are generous, disciplined, mindful,
Knowledgeable, fearless, and compassionate. {4.87}
4.­111
“Those who have tiny moles
On both their legs
Are born under the constellation Revatī.
They are ill-mannered and become barbers. {4.88} {TK119}
4.­112
“Those who have black moles
On their thumb joints
Are always vital and healthy
And born under the constellation Aśvinī. {4.89}
4.­113
“Those who have moles on the soles of their feet
Are born under the constellation Bharaṇī.
They are loveless and have the character of killers and executioners.
When they die, they go to the hell realms. {4.90}
4.­114
“Those who undertake particular types of conduct
Bear these astrological signs.
It is consciousness that leads beings
Around the universe.” {4.91}
4.­115

The Blessed One then said:

“Childish beings whose experience is conceptual
Can be attached to anything.
They are deluded and spiritually immature.
They live in their heads and catch infectious diseases. {4.92}
4.­116
“Dogs, snakes, turtles,
And various other kinds of animals,
And anyone born under the constellation Puṣyā,258
Do not experience well being. {4.93}
4.­117
“Just as you have acquired
Absorption, magical powers, and freedom,
I myself am all-seeing,
So why don’t you ask me your questions?” {4.94}
4.­118

The sage Jyotīrasa showered the Blessed One with flowers {TK120} and was deeply pleased. He then inquired:

“O sage in human form
Who is replete with the finest marks,
Given that I do not know your ancestry,
I would like to know if you are a god or a man. {4.95}
4.­119
“When your speech and voice are heard,
They are like those of Mahābrahmā.
The actions you take and the manner in which you behave
Resemble the sages of yore. {4.96}
4.­120
“Sage, how are you so excellent,
Such that I’ve never seen or heard of anyone like you before? [F.224.b]
Please tell me who your teacher was,
And what your ancestry is!” {4.97}
4.­121

The Blessed One answered:

“I am not concerned with high or low.
Whoever is stuck with such designations
Binds themselves to all manner of suffering‍—
They are not fitting vessels for freedom. {4.98}
4.­122
“My lineage is the six perfections.
With them I destroy brahmins with the six superknowledges,
Those who preach the six sources of joy,259
And the six faculties. {4.99}
4.­123
“I have the knowledge that understands the three phenomena.260
My conduct is the threefold liberation.
I went forth at the moment
That I developed the mind of awakening. {4.100}
4.­124
“I do not focus on any signs‍— {TK121}
Indeed I cultivate signlessness.
I am a perfect buddha,
Teaching the absence of being, life principle, and self. {4.101}
4.­125
“I have fully cultivated the emptiness
Of the three sensations and the three formations.
My wisdom has reached the far shore.
Nothing is communicated by my words. {4.102}
4.­126
“Anyone who is unattached like space
And arouses the mind set upon awakening
Will achieve the perfect strength of patience,
As well as wisdom. {4.103}
4.­127
“Awakening is not difficult to find
For one who does not engage with phenomena,
Has no desire for karmic ripening,
And does not contradict suchness. {4.104}
4.­128
“If one contemplates the ultimate reality
Without fixating on phenomena
Or adhering to high or low,
One will become a thus-gone one. {4.105}
4.­129
“There are no characteristics or marks.
If one abandons such reference points,
And does not get involved with any phenomenon,
One will become a thus-gone one. {4.106}
4.­130
“Give up specific characteristics!
Abandon all doubt in your mind!
Expand your knowledge like space!
You must become a buddha like me!” {4.107} {TK122}
4.­131

261Immediately after the Blessed Buddha had spoken these verses, the sage Jyotīrasa and his retinue saw the Blessed One transform into the form, features, and deportment of a buddha as their previously accumulated roots of virtue became activated. The sage Jyotīrasa then attained a state of absorption such that, sitting like the bodhisattva Peak of the Victory Banner, he was able to see into all states of absorption without depending on any other factors. Through all these forms of absorption, [F.225.a] his state became such that nobody could take it away from him. He attained the bodhisattva absorption called Ratnaketu.262

4.­132

The great sage, holding a flower263 in his folded hands, then praised the Blessed One with the following verses: {K103}

4.­133
“O protector of the world worthy of infinite praise! A confirmed speaker of truth!
You have illuminated the entire world with the light from your eye of wisdom.264
For the benefit of beings, you always elevate your courage and loving kindness.265
O best of beings, leader free from attachment, I prostrate to you today!266 {4.108}
4.­134
“With your golden color and glow of golden light, your cooling qualities
Help inspire the causes that lead to the attainment of awakening in all beings.267
By turning the wheel of the Dharma,268 you split the mountain of the afflictions {TK123}
And perfect the supreme conduct and the causes of understanding awakening. {4.109}
4.­135
“O great physician, the best of beings adorned with auspicious marks,
Guide, please explain today how the essence of a being becomes buddha.269
May I tear apart the net of craving;270 when I am saved, may I save the world!
Please tell me, O best of humans,271 when will I become a buddha? {4.110}
4.­136
“I will ferry beings across the river of suffering, free them from the ocean of existence,
And establish them on the path to the undefiled bliss of nirvāṇa.
I beg any buddhas living in the ten directions, ocean-like with their vast qualities,
To be my witness‍—for I commit my mind to awakening.272 {4.111} {K104}
4.­137
“ May the suffering of all beings
Touched by violent, rough, and unbearable pain be pacified today
By the power of merit accumulated by me in the three times with my body, speech, and mind.
May all beings attain the bliss of the buddhas and find lasting nirvāṇa.273 {4.112}
4.­138
“May the maladies of all beings be quelled and the waters of afflictions dried up!
May they obtain wisdom and sound sense faculties!274 {TK124}
May I swiftly liberate, through the brilliant splendor of my merit,275
All the beings overwhelmed by suffering, cut down by death!276 {4.113} [F.225.b]
4.­139
“May all beings, each and every one of them, attain an ocean of qualities!
May they be satisfied with knowledge, limitless merit, and all pleasures!
May they attend to the abandoning of negativities and the view of equality!277
May they all remember their previous births and practice the Dharma! {4.114}
4.­140
“May they all cross to the other shore of the ocean of existence on the raft of Dharma!
May all reach the far shore of Dharma! May all become buddhas!
May the rain of the Dharma fall and then remain for immeasurable eons!
May all beings be bathed in the water from this Dharma cloud!278 {4.115} {K105}
4.­141
“Whatever subtle transgressions I have committed with my body, speech, and mind,
I humbly confess, begging all the buddhas to be my witness!
May I never again commit such deeds inspired by evil views! {TK125}
May I see such inconceivably supreme beings always before me!279 {4.116}
4.­142
“Whatever little merit I have accumulated I dedicate to awakening.
For the sake of beings, I will perform any action and endure any suffering.
I will bring all beings onto the supreme path of awakening.
For eons I will purify buddha fields, wisdom, and the ocean of beings.280 {4.117}
4.­143
“May I reach the place where I touch awakening and attain purification.
May my whole retinue be purified and abide on the level of acceptance.
O leonine speaker, may I attain the five superknowledges.
O leader with your unimpeded wisdom and omniscience, please make my prophesy!281 {4.118}
4.­144
“If I should become a buddha, a paragon of all the qualities of buddhahood in this world,
May I cast loose flowers upon you and shade you with a parasol!282
May the gods, nāgas, yakṣas, and the rest of the people be my witness,283
And may the Earth,284 trembling, bow her head to your feet.”285 {4.119} {K106} {TK126}
4.­145

Then the sage Jyotīrasa cast the flowers he had just spoken of upon the Blessed One, and they became a single parasol floating above the crown of his head. When he saw this, satisfying feelings of tremendous and extraordinary joy and pleasure arose in Jyotīrasa’s mind. [F.226.a] He fell to his knees and touched the Blessed One’s feet. As soon as he did so, the entire great trichiliocosm286 shook in six different ways. The hundreds of thousands of millions of billions of beings who were there became so moved287 that they beheld a vision.288

4.­146

Those beings who were capable of being guided by elephants perceived the Blissful One in the form of an elephant. They were overjoyed. When they saw the flowers cast by the great sage transformed and floating in the sky as a parasol and the earth shaking, {TK127} they fell to the Blessed One’s feet in amazement. Those who were capable of being guided by buddhas all perceived the Blessed One in the guise of a buddha and were wonderstruck.289

4.­147

When the Blessed One then emerged from his absorption, becoming indestructible, those beings who were capable of being guided by buddhas290 felt joyous and exhilarated on seeing him emerge and showered him with all the flowers, incense, perfume, garlands, scented oils, clothes, ornaments, and adornments they had. For this occasion, the Blessed One,291 addressing Jyotīrasa, uttered the following stanzas: {K107}

4.­148
“O great sage! Rise up and listen as I am making a prediction.
The guide is making your prediction of awakening.
Through unequaled power, the earth shook
And flowers became a parasol floating in the sky.292 {4.120}
4.­149
“You will become the best of two-legged creatures,
A powerful buddha and instructor who teaches to benefit the world,
One of infinite merit, vast as the sky,
The best in the threefold universe, and a lamp for the world.” {4.121}
4.­150

Jyotīrasa, the bodhisattva great being, then asked, “In what buddha field will I turn the wheel of the Dharma?” [F.226.b] {TK128}293

The Blessed One replied,294 “In countless eons, you will appear in a buddha field to the north called Extensive Scent of Flowers. This buddha field will be arranged just as the present-day world of Sukhāvatī is. You will fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood in this buddha field. You will be a thus-gone, worthy, perfect buddha, someone learned and virtuous, a blissful one, a knower of the world, a charioteer who guides beings, an unsurpassed being, and a teacher of gods and humans. You will be known as the blessed buddha Immaculate Fragrant Star of Bright Splendor. Your lifespan will extend to an intermediate eon. There will be no hearers or solitary buddhas in your buddha field; it will be a realm exclusive to bodhisattva great beings. You will only give Great Vehicle teachings there.”

4.­151

When the assembly that had amassed there heard the prophecy of the bodhisattva great being Jyotīrasa, they exerted themselves in venerating the Blessed One. The five hundred young brahmins and ninety-two trillion other beings there developed the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening. They achieved the bodhisattva absorption called not forgetting the mind of awakening.

4.­152

This concludes the chapter on the sage Jyotīrasa, the fourth in the “Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī.” {K108} {TK130} [B5]


5.

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.


6.

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.


7.

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.


8.

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}


9.

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?”


c.

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)

n.

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.­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.­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.

b.

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.


g.

Glossary

g.­1

Abhirati

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

The celestial realm of the tathāgata Akṣobhya in the east.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 6.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 17 related glossary entries
g.­2

Absorption

  • ting nge ’dzin
  • ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།
  • samādhi

Stabilized meditative concentration.

28 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­52
  • 1.­55
  • 1.­73
  • 2.­27
  • 4.­65
  • 4.­74
  • 4.­117
  • 4.­131
  • 4.­147
  • 4.­151
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­63
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­20
  • 6.­33
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­6
  • 8.­37
  • 9.­2
  • 11.­16
  • 13.­3
  • g.­79
  • g.­163
  • g.­216

Links to further resources:

  • 76 related glossary entries
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.”

32 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­68
  • 3.­89
  • 3.­91
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­71
  • 4.­77
  • 4.­143
  • 5.­34
  • 5.­35
  • 5.­49
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­79
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­24
  • 6.­33
  • 6.­38
  • 8.­37
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­18
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­20
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­13
  • n.­453
  • n.­479
  • g.­193

Links to further resources:

  • 37 related glossary entries
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.”

44 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­41
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­44
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­88
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­13
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­41
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­91
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­138
  • 5.­32
  • 5.­54
  • 5.­78
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­70
  • 6.­73
  • 8.­29
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­14
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­17
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­5
  • 13.­15
  • n.­367
  • n.­442
  • g.­87
  • g.­96
  • g.­189

Links to further resources:

  • 60 related glossary entries
g.­8

Aggregate

  • phung po
  • ཕུང་པོ།
  • skandha

See “five aggregates.”

21 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­12
  • 1.­17
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­26
  • 3.­37
  • 3.­39
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­69
  • 5.­79
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­92
  • 6.­57
  • 6.­75
  • 7.­5
  • n.­88
  • n.­106
  • n.­260
  • n.­336
  • g.­90
  • g.­96

Links to further resources:

  • 57 related glossary entries
g.­12

Akṣobhya

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

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

5 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­1
  • 6.­2
  • 8.­1
  • 13.­13
  • g.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 35 related glossary entries
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­101

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­17

Ārdrā

  • lag
  • ལག
  • Ārdrā

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

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­88

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­19

Āśleṣā

  • skag
  • སྐག
  • Āśleṣā

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

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­92

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­20

Asura

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

A class of titans or demigods.

35 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­74
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­68
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­108
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­74
  • 5.­3
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­84
  • 7.­1
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­37
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­7
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 13.­16
  • n.­123
  • n.­150
  • n.­216
  • n.­380

Links to further resources:

  • 106 related glossary entries
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­112

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­23

Āṭavaka

  • ’brog gnas
  • འབྲོག་གནས།
  • Āṭavaka

One of the five yakṣa generals.

11 passages contain this term:

  • i.­12
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­3
  • 12.­8
  • 12.­14
  • 12.­16
  • 12.­17
  • 12.­21
  • 12.­22
  • n.­467

Links to further resources:

  • 5 related glossary entries
g.­24

Awakening

  • byang chub
  • བྱང་ཆུབ།
  • bodhi

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

112 passages contain this term:

  • i.­6
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­83
  • 1.­84
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­47
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­52
  • 2.­59
  • 2.­60
  • 2.­61
  • 2.­62
  • 2.­63
  • 2.­64
  • 2.­66
  • 2.­68
  • 3.­66
  • 3.­67
  • 3.­69
  • 3.­95
  • 4.­8
  • 4.­28
  • 4.­35
  • 4.­55
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­126
  • 4.­127
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­136
  • 4.­142
  • 4.­143
  • 4.­148
  • 4.­151
  • 5.­5
  • 5.­6
  • 5.­8
  • 5.­9
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­26
  • 5.­29
  • 5.­30
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­67
  • 5.­76
  • 5.­79
  • 6.­17
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­25
  • 6.­39
  • 6.­41
  • 6.­42
  • 6.­72
  • 6.­75
  • 6.­76
  • 6.­77
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­6
  • 8.­10
  • 8.­12
  • 8.­14
  • 8.­16
  • 8.­17
  • 8.­20
  • 8.­27
  • 8.­31
  • 8.­36
  • 8.­37
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­9
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­14
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­22
  • 11.­23
  • 12.­3
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­5
  • 12.­6
  • 12.­7
  • 12.­13
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­5
  • n.­101
  • n.­145
  • n.­170
  • n.­193
  • n.­356
  • n.­393
  • g.­68
  • g.­78
  • g.­83
  • g.­163
  • g.­181
  • g.­202
  • g.­280

Links to further resources:

  • 9 related glossary entries
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­113

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­29

Bhīṣaṇaka

  • ’jigs ’jigs
  • འཇིགས་འཇིགས།
  • Bhīṣaṇaka

One of the five yakṣa generals.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 12.­1
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.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­6
  • 6.­11
  • 10.­1
  • 12.­16
  • 13.­2
  • g.­320

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­32

Blessed one

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

A title used for the Buddha and other tathāgatas.

255 passages contain this term:

  • i.­2
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­18
  • 1.­25
  • 1.­26
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­29
  • 1.­30
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­33
  • 1.­34
  • 1.­36
  • 1.­37
  • 1.­39
  • 1.­40
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­46
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­52
  • 1.­53
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­55
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­58
  • 1.­59
  • 1.­62
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­74
  • 1.­75
  • 1.­86
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­88
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­29
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­31
  • 2.­36
  • 2.­38
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­52
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­68
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­34
  • 3.­108
  • 3.­109
  • 3.­121
  • 3.­123
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­4
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­9
  • 4.­10
  • 4.­11
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­15
  • 4.­16
  • 4.­17
  • 4.­19
  • 4.­20
  • 4.­21
  • 4.­25
  • 4.­29
  • 4.­36
  • 4.­37
  • 4.­39
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­46
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­71
  • 4.­72
  • 4.­73
  • 4.­74
  • 4.­75
  • 4.­78
  • 4.­81
  • 4.­82
  • 4.­115
  • 4.­118
  • 4.­121
  • 4.­131
  • 4.­132
  • 4.­145
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­147
  • 4.­150
  • 4.­151
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­10
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­16
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­19
  • 5.­20
  • 5.­21
  • 5.­23
  • 5.­24
  • 5.­38
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­51
  • 5.­54
  • 5.­58
  • 5.­59
  • 5.­60
  • 5.­61
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­80
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­82
  • 5.­83
  • 5.­84
  • 5.­85
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­7
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­20
  • 6.­21
  • 6.­22
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­27
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­36
  • 6.­37
  • 6.­48
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­51
  • 6.­52
  • 6.­53
  • 6.­54
  • 6.­55
  • 6.­58
  • 6.­60
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­62
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­71
  • 6.­72
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­75
  • 6.­78
  • 6.­81
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­83
  • 6.­84
  • 6.­85
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­2
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­6
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­12
  • 8.­16
  • 8.­17
  • 8.­19
  • 8.­20
  • 8.­24
  • 8.­26
  • 8.­28
  • 8.­30
  • 8.­32
  • 8.­34
  • 8.­38
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­2
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­7
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­3
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­14
  • 10.­16
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­6
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­13
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­20
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­14
  • 12.­16
  • 12.­19
  • 12.­21
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­5
  • 13.­6
  • 13.­7
  • 13.­12
  • 13.­15
  • 13.­16
  • n.­75
  • n.­76
  • n.­119
  • n.­243
  • n.­291
  • n.­378
  • n.­461
  • n.­483

Links to further resources:

  • 116 related glossary entries
g.­33

Blissful one

  • bde bar gshegs pa
  • བདེ་བར་གཤེགས་པ།
  • sugata

An epithet for a buddha.

20 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­30
  • 2.­38
  • 3.­83
  • 3.­86
  • 3.­100
  • 3.­102
  • 3.­122
  • 4.­13
  • 4.­14
  • 4.­22
  • 4.­40
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­150
  • 5.­58
  • 6.­21
  • 8.­14
  • 8.­27
  • 8.­33
  • 8.­35
  • 11.­15

Links to further resources:

  • 60 related glossary entries
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.

161 passages contain this term:

  • i.­6
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­18
  • 1.­52
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­25
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­34
  • 2.­66
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­131
  • 4.­150
  • 4.­151
  • 5.­10
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­39
  • 5.­51
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­79
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­82
  • 5.­83
  • 5.­84
  • 5.­85
  • 5.­94
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­9
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­27
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­33
  • 6.­35
  • 6.­39
  • 6.­44
  • 6.­45
  • 6.­48
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­60
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­62
  • 6.­63
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­75
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­16
  • 8.­17
  • 8.­22
  • 8.­24
  • 8.­26
  • 8.­28
  • 8.­30
  • 8.­32
  • 8.­34
  • 8.­36
  • 8.­37
  • 9.­5
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­17
  • 10.­18
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­13
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­20
  • 11.­21
  • 11.­22
  • 12.­2
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­7
  • n.­107
  • n.­109
  • n.­148
  • n.­323
  • n.­348
  • n.­389
  • n.­453
  • g.­4
  • g.­11
  • g.­18
  • g.­34
  • g.­54
  • g.­59
  • g.­68
  • g.­69
  • g.­71
  • g.­73
  • g.­77
  • g.­82
  • g.­112
  • g.­117
  • g.­118
  • g.­120
  • g.­122
  • g.­124
  • g.­125
  • g.­126
  • g.­129
  • g.­130
  • g.­148
  • g.­161
  • g.­164
  • g.­165
  • g.­173
  • g.­177
  • g.­191
  • g.­194
  • g.­200
  • g.­206
  • g.­216
  • g.­217
  • g.­223
  • g.­243
  • g.­248
  • g.­259
  • g.­261
  • g.­262
  • g.­263
  • g.­264
  • g.­270
  • g.­281
  • g.­287
  • g.­292
  • g.­293
  • g.­299
  • g.­303
  • g.­304
  • g.­305
  • g.­308
  • g.­311
  • g.­312
  • g.­319

Links to further resources:

  • 33 related glossary entries
g.­37

Brahmā

  • tshangs pa
  • ཚངས་པ།
  • brahmā

A god from any of the realms of Brahmā.

22 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­3
  • 6.­55
  • 6.­59
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­62
  • 6.­63
  • 6.­66
  • 6.­67
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­84
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­9
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­7
  • 10.­17
  • 10.­19
  • 10.­21
  • n.­430

Links to further resources:

  • 125 related glossary entries
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.

24 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­40
  • 1.­74
  • 2.­20
  • 3.­108
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­58
  • 4.­74
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­3
  • 6.­50
  • 7.­1
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­6
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­5
  • 13.­15
  • n.­429
  • g.­37
  • g.­114
  • g.­168

Links to further resources:

  • 125 related glossary entries
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.

329 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­1
  • i.­5
  • i.­6
  • i.­7
  • i.­8
  • i.­9
  • i.­10
  • i.­14
  • i.­15
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­18
  • 1.­25
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­63
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­74
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­86
  • 1.­87
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­43
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­52
  • 2.­62
  • 2.­67
  • 2.­69
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­34
  • 3.­48
  • 3.­73
  • 3.­75
  • 3.­76
  • 3.­102
  • 3.­104
  • 3.­106
  • 3.­107
  • 3.­115
  • 3.­117
  • 3.­121
  • 3.­123
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­33
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­48
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­66
  • 4.­68
  • 4.­69
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­74
  • 4.­124
  • 4.­130
  • 4.­131
  • 4.­135
  • 4.­136
  • 4.­137
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­141
  • 4.­142
  • 4.­144
  • 4.­146
  • 4.­147
  • 4.­149
  • 4.­150
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­9
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­16
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­24
  • 5.­26
  • 5.­34
  • 5.­41
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­55
  • 5.­72
  • 5.­73
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­79
  • 5.­80
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­82
  • 5.­83
  • 5.­84
  • 5.­85
  • 5.­90
  • 5.­93
  • 5.­95
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­7
  • 6.­9
  • 6.­10
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­20
  • 6.­21
  • 6.­22
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­27
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­29
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­34
  • 6.­37
  • 6.­48
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­51
  • 6.­53
  • 6.­54
  • 6.­58
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­62
  • 6.­63
  • 6.­67
  • 6.­69
  • 6.­70
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­75
  • 6.­76
  • 6.­77
  • 6.­78
  • 6.­81
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­83
  • 6.­84
  • 6.­85
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­2
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­6
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­15
  • 8.­16
  • 8.­17
  • 8.­18
  • 8.­19
  • 8.­20
  • 8.­33
  • 8.­35
  • 8.­38
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­2
  • 9.­5
  • 9.­6
  • 9.­7
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­3
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­7
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­14
  • 10.­16
  • 10.­17
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­19
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­14
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­17
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­20
  • 11.­21
  • 11.­22
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­3
  • 12.­10
  • 12.­14
  • 12.­15
  • 12.­16
  • 12.­17
  • 12.­21
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­5
  • 13.­6
  • 13.­7
  • 13.­11
  • 13.­15
  • n.­8
  • n.­12
  • n.­13
  • n.­16
  • n.­17
  • n.­65
  • n.­70
  • n.­75
  • n.­76
  • n.­129
  • n.­144
  • n.­149
  • n.­258
  • n.­290
  • n.­295
  • n.­333
  • n.­365
  • n.­378
  • n.­389
  • n.­391
  • n.­483
  • n.­486
  • g.­4
  • g.­11
  • g.­14
  • g.­18
  • g.­21
  • g.­32
  • g.­33
  • g.­34
  • g.­38
  • g.­44
  • g.­57
  • g.­59
  • g.­62
  • g.­68
  • g.­69
  • g.­71
  • g.­73
  • g.­74
  • g.­78
  • g.­82
  • g.­85
  • g.­105
  • g.­113
  • g.­116
  • g.­117
  • g.­118
  • g.­120
  • g.­121
  • g.­124
  • g.­125
  • g.­126
  • g.­129
  • g.­130
  • g.­131
  • g.­137
  • g.­139
  • g.­140
  • g.­142
  • g.­148
  • g.­150
  • g.­152
  • g.­161
  • g.­162
  • g.­164
  • g.­165
  • g.­173
  • g.­177
  • g.­179
  • g.­180
  • g.­191
  • g.­200
  • g.­202
  • g.­205
  • g.­206
  • g.­217
  • g.­228
  • g.­229
  • g.­230
  • g.­233
  • g.­236
  • g.­242
  • g.­244
  • g.­247
  • g.­248
  • g.­250
  • g.­258
  • g.­259
  • g.­262
  • g.­264
  • g.­270
  • g.­274
  • g.­280
  • g.­285
  • g.­287
  • g.­292
  • g.­299
  • g.­300
  • g.­303
  • g.­304
  • g.­305
  • g.­307
  • g.­308
  • g.­309
  • g.­311
  • g.­312
  • g.­318
  • g.­319

Links to further resources:

  • 10 related glossary entries
g.­42

Cakravāḍa

  • ’khor yug
  • འཁོར་ཡུག
  • Cakravāḍa

The name of a mountain range.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 4.­30
  • n.­225

Links to further resources:

  • 16 related glossary entries
g.­46

Chinnasrotas

  • rgyun bcad pa
  • རྒྱུན་བཅད་པ།
  • Chinnasrotas

One of the five yakṣa generals.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 12.­1
  • 12.­5
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­97

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­49

Consciousness

  • rnam par shes pa
  • རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།
  • vijñāna

Fifth of the five aggregates.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­68
  • 4.­114
  • 6.­18
  • 13.­3
  • g.­80
  • g.­86
  • g.­246
  • g.­255

Links to further resources:

  • 21 related glossary entries
g.­53

Delighting in Emanations

  • ’phrul dga’
  • འཕྲུལ་དགའ།
  • Nirmāṇarati

One of the gods’ realms.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 41 related glossary entries
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­107

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
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.

89 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • i.­6
  • i.­7
  • i.­8
  • i.­11
  • i.­12
  • i.­13
  • i.­14
  • i.­15
  • h.­3
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­43
  • 2.­44
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­46
  • 2.­47
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­53
  • 2.­60
  • 2.­68
  • 3.­1
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­84
  • 6.­15
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­17
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­33
  • 6.­41
  • 6.­42
  • 6.­43
  • 6.­44
  • 6.­45
  • 6.­46
  • 6.­47
  • 6.­48
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­51
  • 6.­62
  • 6.­63
  • 6.­78
  • 6.­79
  • 6.­84
  • 6.­86
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­37
  • 9.­6
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­14
  • 10.­15
  • 10.­19
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­6
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­14
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­21
  • 11.­22
  • 12.­11
  • 12.­16
  • 12.­19
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­5
  • c.­1
  • n.­5
  • n.­11
  • n.­16
  • n.­129
  • n.­130
  • n.­131
  • n.­132
  • n.­390
  • n.­405
  • n.­445
  • g.­61
  • g.­63
  • g.­64
  • g.­216

Links to further resources:

  • 94 related glossary entries
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.

21 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­80
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­36
  • 6.­37
  • 6.­68
  • 7.­7
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­24
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­11
  • 13.­4
  • n.­396

Links to further resources:

  • 3 related glossary entries
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.

217 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­1
  • i.­14
  • i.­15
  • 1.­1
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­24
  • 1.­30
  • 1.­51
  • 1.­68
  • 1.­73
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­88
  • 1.­89
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­25
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­34
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­60
  • 2.­67
  • 2.­68
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­40
  • 3.­48
  • 3.­49
  • 3.­57
  • 3.­63
  • 3.­65
  • 3.­66
  • 3.­67
  • 3.­73
  • 3.­76
  • 3.­77
  • 3.­78
  • 3.­79
  • 3.­81
  • 3.­87
  • 3.­88
  • 3.­91
  • 3.­92
  • 3.­95
  • 3.­96
  • 3.­97
  • 3.­104
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­12
  • 4.­13
  • 4.­22
  • 4.­23
  • 4.­24
  • 4.­28
  • 4.­34
  • 4.­36
  • 4.­38
  • 4.­40
  • 4.­41
  • 4.­42
  • 4.­43
  • 4.­48
  • 4.­49
  • 4.­50
  • 4.­51
  • 4.­57
  • 4.­59
  • 4.­70
  • 4.­77
  • 4.­85
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­104
  • 4.­123
  • 4.­127
  • 4.­128
  • 4.­129
  • 4.­134
  • 4.­139
  • 4.­140
  • 4.­150
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­20
  • 5.­26
  • 5.­27
  • 5.­33
  • 5.­42
  • 5.­43
  • 5.­48
  • 5.­52
  • 5.­53
  • 5.­54
  • 5.­56
  • 5.­57
  • 5.­58
  • 5.­59
  • 5.­60
  • 5.­75
  • 5.­77
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­79
  • 5.­80
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­84
  • 6.­6
  • 6.­15
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­19
  • 6.­20
  • 6.­21
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­26
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­29
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­41
  • 6.­43
  • 6.­46
  • 6.­47
  • 6.­53
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­62
  • 6.­67
  • 6.­68
  • 6.­70
  • 6.­78
  • 6.­79
  • 6.­81
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­85
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­8
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­15
  • 8.­38
  • 9.­4
  • 9.­5
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­3
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­7
  • 10.­8
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­10
  • 10.­13
  • 10.­14
  • 10.­15
  • 10.­16
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­19
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­22
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­13
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­17
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­24
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­7
  • 12.­9
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­5
  • 13.­7
  • 13.­13
  • n.­14
  • n.­29
  • n.­56
  • n.­81
  • n.­106
  • n.­107
  • n.­153
  • n.­170
  • n.­178
  • n.­179
  • n.­193
  • n.­260
  • n.­268
  • n.­379
  • n.­402
  • n.­404
  • n.­443
  • g.­3
  • g.­24
  • g.­51
  • g.­61
  • g.­64
  • g.­274

Links to further resources:

  • 34 related glossary entries
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.

33 passages contain this term:

  • i.­13
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­68
  • 6.­78
  • 6.­79
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­8
  • 10.­9
  • 10.­12
  • 10.­14
  • 10.­15
  • 10.­18
  • 10.­19
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­22
  • 10.­24
  • 10.­25
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­18
  • 13.­1
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­4
  • 13.­5
  • 13.­6
  • 13.­8
  • 13.­15

Links to further resources:

  • 16 related glossary entries
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.

31 passages contain this term:

  • i.­14
  • i.­15
  • 4.­12
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­27
  • 6.­29
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­36
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­78
  • 6.­85
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­12
  • 9.­5
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­6
  • 10.­17
  • 10.­20
  • 10.­21
  • 10.­25
  • 10.­26
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­11
  • 13.­2
  • 13.­4
  • n.­440

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­65

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

  • yul ’khor srung
  • ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་།
  • Dhṛtarāṣṭra

One of the Four Great Kings.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­108
  • 6.­69
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­9
  • g.­95

Links to further resources:

  • 26 related glossary entries
g.­66

Diligence

  • brtson ’grus
  • བརྩོན་འགྲུས།
  • vīrya

The fourth of the six perfections.

14 passages contain this term:

  • 4.­70
  • 5.­79
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­24
  • 6.­73
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­6
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­18
  • 10.­10
  • 13.­13
  • g.­92
  • g.­163
  • g.­196

Links to further resources:

  • 30 related glossary entries
g.­67

Discipline

  • tshul khrims
  • ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།
  • śīla

The second of the six perfections.

9 passages contain this term:

  • 4.­32
  • 4.­36
  • 4.­64
  • 4.­92
  • 4.­101
  • 4.­102
  • 8.­5
  • g.­196
  • g.­241

Links to further resources:

  • 31 related glossary entries
g.­68

Discriminating Intellect

  • shin tu rnam par phye ba’i blo gros
  • ཤིན་ཏུ་རྣམ་པར་ཕྱེ་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།
  • —

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

4 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • g.­117
g.­70

Dṛḍhā

  • gzi brjid che ba
  • གཟི་བརྗིད་ཆེ་བ།
  • Dṛḍhā

An earth deity.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­29
g.­73

Durdharṣa

  • thub dka’
  • ཐུབ་དཀའ།
  • Durdharṣa

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

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 3.­21
g.­74

Dyutimati

  • snang ba’i blo gros
  • སྣང་བའི་བློ་གྲོས།
  • Dyutimati

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

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­11
g.­75

Dyutindharā

  • ’od ’chang
  • འོད་འཆང་།
  • Dyutindharā

A tree deity.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­15
g.­76

Earth

  • sa
  • 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”).

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­47
  • 1.­72
  • 2.­48
  • 4.­144
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­52

Links to further resources:

  • 40 related glossary entries
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.

20 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­8
  • 2.­15
  • 3.­41
  • 3.­58
  • 3.­62
  • 5.­85
  • 5.­86
  • 5.­87
  • 5.­88
  • 5.­89
  • 5.­90
  • 5.­91
  • 6.­18
  • 6.­32
  • 6.­57
  • 10.­3
  • n.­88
  • n.­260
  • n.­338
  • n.­420

Links to further resources:

  • 56 related glossary entries
g.­81

Exposition

  • lung bstan
  • ལུང་བསྟན།
  • vyākaraṇa

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

19 passages contain this term:

  • i.­6
  • i.­9
  • 5.­78
  • 5.­79
  • 5.­80
  • 5.­81
  • 5.­82
  • 5.­83
  • 5.­84
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­30
  • 6.­32
  • 7.­7
  • 10.­1
  • 11.­2
  • 13.­5
  • n.­333
  • n.­334
  • g.­202

Links to further resources:

  • 14 related glossary entries
g.­82

Extensive Scent of Flowers

  • me tog rgyas pa’i dris
  • མེ་ཏོག་རྒྱས་པའི་དྲིས།
  • —

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

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­150
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.

16 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­30
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­78
  • 6.­10
  • 6.­23
  • 6.­27
  • 6.­28
  • 6.­78
  • 8.­7
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­5
  • 10.­6
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­16
  • 13.­3

Links to further resources:

  • 14 related glossary entries
g.­89

Form

  • gzugs
  • གཟུགས།
  • rūpa

First of the five aggregates.

13 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­87
  • 2.­5
  • 3.­55
  • 4.­75
  • 4.­131
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­36
  • 6.­57
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­2
  • n.­190
  • g.­86
  • g.­276

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  • 19 related glossary entries
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.

9 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­108
  • 4.­74
  • 7.­1
  • g.­65
  • g.­156
  • g.­301
  • g.­315
  • g.­316
  • g.­321

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  • 44 related glossary entries
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.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­81
  • 4.­70
  • 5.­31
  • 5.­38
  • 5.­57
  • 5.­59

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  • 7 related glossary entries
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.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 4.­71

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  • 30 related glossary entries
g.­101

Free from Strife

  • ’thab bral
  • འཐབ་བྲལ།
  • Yāma

One of the gods’ realms.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­1
  • g.­325

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g.­102

Gandharva

  • dri za
  • དྲི་ཟ།
  • gandharva

A class of celestial beings.

27 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­74
  • 2.­44
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­51
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­109
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­3
  • 5.­3
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­73
  • 6.­82
  • 6.­84
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­37
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­7
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 13.­3
  • 13.­16
  • n.­216
  • g.­95

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  • 114 related glossary entries
g.­103

Gaṅgā

  • gang gA
  • གང་གཱ
  • Gaṅgā

The river Ganges.

16 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­42
  • 1.­86
  • 4.­30
  • 5.­50
  • 5.­83
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­33
  • 6.­45
  • 6.­48
  • 7.­3
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­18
  • 8.­37
  • 12.­4
  • 13.­9
  • 13.­10

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g.­104

Garuḍa

  • nam mkha’ lding
  • ནམ་མཁའ་ལྡིང་།
  • garuḍa

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

26 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­74
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­51
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­28
  • 3.­108
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­45
  • 4.­70
  • 5.­3
  • 6.­50
  • 6.­61
  • 6.­73
  • 7.­1
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­37
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­7
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • n.­123
  • n.­216

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  • 79 related glossary entries
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.

17 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­19
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­38
  • 1.­62
  • 1.­71
  • 1.­89
  • 2.­58
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­26
  • 3.­29
  • 3.­110
  • 3.­117
  • 3.­121
  • 4.­79
  • 5.­22
  • 11.­21
  • n.­160

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g.­110

Glorious and Brilliantly Shining Jewel

  • nor bu ’od ’bar ba dpal