• The Collection
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འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན་གྱིས་ཡོངས་སུ་དྲིས་པ།

The Inquiry of Lokadhara
Chapter Eleven: The Teaching on What Occurred in the Past

Lokadharaparipṛcchā
འཕགས་པ་འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན་གྱིས་ཡོངས་སུ་དྲིས་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བའི་མདོ།
’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo
The Noble Sūtra “The Inquiry of Lokadhara”
Āryalokadharaparipṛcchānāmasūtra
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Toh 174

Degé Kangyur, vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 7.b–78.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 1.1.22 (2021)
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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
+ 12 chapters- 12 chapters
1. Chapter One: The Introduction
2. Chapter Two: Investigating the Five Aggregates
+ 9 sections- 9 sections
· Form
· Feeling
· Perception
· Formation
· Consciousness
· The Five Aggregates
· The Five Aggregates for Appropriation
· Suffering
· The World
3. Chapter Three: The Eighteen Elements
+ 7 sections- 7 sections
· The Eye Element
· The Form Element
· The Eye-Consciousness Element
· The Mind Element
· The Mental-Object Element
· The Mind-Consciousness Element
· The Three Realms
4. Chapter Four: Understanding the Twelve Sense Sources
+ 3 sections- 3 sections
· The Eye and Form Sense Sources
· The Mind and Mental-Object Sense Sources
· The Inner and Outer Sense Sources
5. Chapter Five: Understanding the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination
6. Chapter Six: The Four Applications of Mindfulness
+ 4 sections- 4 sections
· Contemplation of the Body in Relation to the Body
· Contemplation of Feelings in Relation to Feelings
· Contemplation of the Mind in Relation to the Mind
· Contemplation of Mental Phenomena in Relation to Mental Phenomena
7. Chapter Seven: The Five Powers
+ 5 sections- 5 sections
· The Power of Faith
· The Power of Diligence
· The Power of Mindfulness
· The Power of Absorption
· The Power of Insight
8. Chapter Eight: The Eightfold Path of the Noble Ones
+ 8 sections- 8 sections
· Right View
· Right Thought
· Right Speech
· Right Action
· Right Livelihood
· Right Effort
· Right Mindfulness
· Right Absorption
9. Chapter Nine: The Phenomena of the World and Transcendence
10. Chapter Ten: The Conditioned and the Unconditioned
11. Chapter Eleven: The Teaching on What Occurred in the Past
12. Chapter Twelve: The Entrustment
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

In The Inquiry of Lokadhara, the bodhisattva Lokadhara asks the Buddha to explain the proper way for bodhisattvas to discern the characteristics of phenomena and employ that knowledge to attain awakening. In reply, the Buddha teaches at length how to understand the lack of inherent existence of phenomena. As part of the teaching, the Buddha explains in detail the nonexistence of the aggregates, the elements, the sense sources, dependently originated phenomena, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, and mundane and transcendent phenomena, as well as conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

The sūtra was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche. The translation from the Tibetan was produced by Timothy Hinkle. Andreas Doctor checked the translation against the Tibetan, edited the text, and wrote the introduction. James Gentry subsequently compared the translation against Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation and made further edits.

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


i.

Introduction

i.­1

The Inquiry of Lokadhara is a scripture that belongs to the general sūtra section of the Degé Kangyur. As far as we are aware, no Sanskrit version of this text remains. However, in addition to the Tibetan translation, which we have translated here, the sūtra is also present in two Chinese translations (Taishō 481 and Taishō 482). The first of these was translated by Dharmarakṣa (233–311 ᴄᴇ), the famed and prolific translator of The Lotus Sūtra. The second translation was completed between 402 and 412 ᴄᴇ, by the equally renowned translator Kumārajīva (344–413 ᴄᴇ), as one of his last translations. We therefore know that the text has been in existence since at least the third century ᴄᴇ. Unfortunately, however, we know little else of the history of this sūtra. We do not even know when, or by whom, it was translated into Tibetan; the translation does not identify a translator, and the text is not listed in the ninth-century Denkarma (Tib. ldan dkar ma) or Phangthangma (Tib. ’phang thang ma) imperial catalogues of Tibetan translations.1 It does, however, appear in Buton’s (Tib. bu ston) History of the Dharma (Tib. chos ’byung), thus suggesting that it was translated after the fall of the Yarlung dynasty (846 ᴄᴇ) (or at least outside official circles of imperial influence), and only became known in Tibet sometime prior to the fourteenth century ᴄᴇ. A cursory search of the Dunhuang manuscript catalogues did not yield any further information, although future studies of these resources may shed new light on this issue. In this regard, it is worth mentioning that Cornelius Chang (1976, p. 22) reports that a fragment of the sūtra was discovered in Turfan (in modern day Xinjiang). The sūtra is therefore likely to have been present in the Dunhuang region as well, as the Tibetan Yarlung Dynasty controlled Turfan during the same period that it controlled Dunhuang, until roughly 846 ᴄᴇ.


The Translation
The Noble Sūtra
The Inquiry of Lokadhara

1.

Chapter One: The Introduction

[F.7.b] [B1]


1.­1

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!


1.­2

Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at the Kalandaka­nivāpa in Veṇuvana near Rājagṛha, with a great saṅgha of monks. The Blessed One was teaching the Dharma to a large assembly with hundreds of thousands of beings in attendance. Present in the assembly was the bodhisattva great being Lokadhara. It was his wish that bodhisattva great beings develop the mind of awakening by adorning themselves with immeasurable virtues; that they understand in its entirety the true meaning of all phenomena; [F.8.a] that they understand how limitless aspirations lead to the perfection of limitless ornaments; that they comprehend and understand the true characteristics of limitless phenomena; that they purify their motivation through limitless aspirations; that they gain comprehensive knowledge; that they attain the ornament of generosity and the purity of certainty; that they perfect the ornament of discipline and patience; that they purify the attitude of mildness and gentleness; that they understand the purity of diligence; that they understand and comprehend the perfections of concentration and insight; and that they develop limitless other such virtues.


2.

Chapter Two: Investigating the Five Aggregates

2.­1

The Blessed One then addressed the bodhisattva Lokadhara, “Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain the true characteristics of all phenomena, wish to be learned in the characteristics of discerning phenomena, wish to attain the power of recall, wish to attain the insight that discerns all phenomena, or wish to attain unbroken mindfulness from the time they leave this body until reaching unsurpassed and perfect awakening should swiftly enter this Dharma gateway. Through this Dharma gateway, they will attain the light of insight. Why is this? Because this Dharma gateway swiftly ensures that perfection is attained. Furthermore, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings should exert themselves in this Dharma gateway. Having entered this gateway that pertains to the Dharma, they will become highly skilled in discerning what pertains to the aggregates, elements, sense sources, dependently originated phenomena, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, and mundane and transcendent phenomena. Additionally, they will become highly skilled in discerning what pertains to conditioned and unconditioned phenomena.”

Form

Feeling

Perception

Formation

Consciousness

The Five Aggregates

The Five Aggregates for Appropriation

Suffering

The World


3.

Chapter Three: The Eighteen Elements

The Eye Element

3.­1

“Lokadhara, regarding the elements, how are bodhisattva great beings learned in the eighteen elements? When bodhisattva great beings practice correct contemplation of the eighteen elements, they think, ‘The eye element cannot be observed to be the eye element. There is also no I or mine in the eye element. It is impermanent, insubstantial, and empty of inherent nature. Therefore, what is imputed as the characteristic of the eye element cannot be observed in the eye element. The eye element is untrue and totally nonexistent, for it is born from false thinking. The eye element lacks true characteristics, as the space element is the eye element. For instance, just as the space element lacks true characteristics and is not an entity, the eye element also lacks true characteristics and is not an entity. Why is this? [F.38.b] Because no real entity can be found in the eye element, the eye element does not exist in any location or direction. It does not exist internally, externally, or somewhere in-between. The eye element lacks true characteristics and is not an entity. Thus, no entity of the eye element can be apprehended, for it arises from many causes and conditions. The eye element is neither past, nor present, nor future, and there is no intrinsic nature of the eye to observe in the eye element. The eye element depends upon the ripening of the results of past actions and current conditions, whereupon the eye element is imputed. The eye element is a nonelement. No eye element can be observed in the eye element. The so-called eye element refers to the domain of consciousness. The eye element manifests when three factors come together: a clear eye faculty, an apparent form, and the involvement of the mind faculty. The eye element lacks anything that can be called a real eye element, and the wise understand the eye element to be the absence of the eye element.’ ”

The Form Element

The Eye-Consciousness Element

The Mind Element

The Mental-Object Element

The Mind-Consciousness Element

The Three Realms


4.

Chapter Four: Understanding the Twelve Sense Sources

The Eye and Form Sense Sources

4.­1

The Blessed One continued addressing Lokadhara: [F.45.b] “How are bodhisattva great beings knowledgeable about the twelve sense sources? When discerning the twelve sense sources, they think, ‘The eye sense source cannot be observed in the eye. In the eye, there is no definitive eye sense source. The eye sense source cannot be observed to be an entity.’ Why is this? The eye sense source is born from many causes and conditions and arises through mistaken perception. It depends upon form, because it observes form. When the two meet,38 the condition of form brings the condition of the eye sense source into existence. Because the form and eye sense sources are mutually dependent, they are collectively called the eye’s form. Regarding the so-called eye and form, form is the gateway through which the eye sense source is generated, and the eye also generates and illuminates the form sense source. Therefore, with regard to the sense sources, the eye sense source is so-called because it is labeled a sense source gateway via the condition of form and the form sense source is so-called because it is seen by the eye. While I teach that they do exist relatively, the eye does not exist in form, form does not exist in the eye, the eye does not exist in the eye, and form does not exist in form. The eye sense source is thus labeled because observation of form arises from many conditions. Additionally, the form sense source is thus labeled because the eye consciousness and the characteristic of sight arise through dependent origination.

The Mind and Mental-Object Sense Sources

The Inner and Outer Sense Sources


5.

Chapter Five: Understanding the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination

5.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in discerning and contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination? [F.49.a] Bodhisattva great beings discern and contemplate the twelve links of dependent origination as follows: Ignorance is so designated because of nonexistence. Ignorance is so designated because it lacks qualities. Ignorance is so designated because it cannot understand knowledge. How is ignorance unable to understand knowledge? Ignorance is called ignorance because it has no fixed qualities to observe. For what reason does the condition of ignorance give rise to formations? All phenomena42 are nonexistent, but childish ordinary beings form them, thus it is said that ignorance causes formations. Because consciousness arises from formations, it depends upon the condition of formations. Name-and-form are two characteristics, and therefore name-and-form are created by the condition of consciousness. The six sense sources are based upon the condition of name-and-form, because the six sense sources arise from name-and-form. Contact is based upon the condition of the six sense sources, because contact arises from the six sense sources. Feeling is based upon the condition of contact, because feeling arises from contact. Craving is based upon the condition of feeling, because craving arises from feeling. Grasping is based upon the condition of craving, because grasping arises from craving. Becoming is based upon the condition of grasping, because becoming arises from grasping. Birth is based upon the condition of becoming, because birth arises from becoming. Based upon the condition of birth, there arises aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, and the great mass of suffering. In this way aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, and the great mass of suffering are so designated because of birth. In this manner, the great mass of suffering arises. This process is all-subsuming: with a mistaken perception, one contravenes knowledge and accumulates a mass of ignorance. This generates desire for another existence, and based on one’s preferences and attachments, one seeks birth in all such places‍—this is the aggregate of existence. [F.49.b]


6.

Chapter Six: The Four Applications of Mindfulness

6.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in the applications of mindfulness? Bodhisattva great beings discern and contemplate the four applications of mindfulness. What are these four? The contemplation of the body in relation to the body, the contemplation of feelings in relation to feelings, the contemplation of the mind in relation to the mind, and the contemplation of mental phenomena in relation to mental phenomena. How do they contemplate the body in relation to the body, and contemplate feelings, mind, [F.54.b] and mental phenomena in relation to feelings, mind, and mental phenomena?”

Contemplation of the Body in Relation to the Body

Contemplation of Feelings in Relation to Feelings

Contemplation of the Mind in Relation to the Mind

Contemplation of Mental Phenomena in Relation to Mental Phenomena


7.

Chapter Seven: The Five Powers

7.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in the five powers? Bodhisattva great beings accurately contemplate the five transcendent powers. What are these five? The powers of faith, diligence, mindfulness, absorption, and insight.

The Power of Faith

7.­2

“When bodhisattvas put the five powers into practice, they gain trust in how all phenomena are born from dependent origination, arise through mistaken perception, and are like a whirling firebrand or a dream, in owing their existence to a gathering of conditions of false perception. They trust that all phenomena have the characteristics of being impermanent, suffering, impure, selfless, like a thorn or blister, insubstantial, unstable, mutable, and destructible. [F.59.b] Moreover, they trust that all phenomena are false, and thus nonexistent; that just as a child is fooled by an empty fist or a rainbow, phenomena are merely arisen from imputation and dependent phenomena, and thus lack even a single true quality of being an entity. Moreover, they trust that all phenomena are neither past, present, nor future. They trust that all phenomena neither come from, nor go, anywhere. They trust that all phenomena are emptiness, without marks, and unconditioned. They trust that all phenomena are unborn, unconditioned, unarisen, without marks, and free from marks. They trust in pure discipline, pure absorption, pure insight, and the pure teaching of the wisdom of liberation.61 Bodhisattvas become irreversible by effortlessly accomplishing the power of faith; guided by faith, they can observe discipline, such that their faith will not decline or be lost. By effortlessly accomplishing the quality of irreversibility, they will have unwavering faith. They will ripen faith in accordance with the ripening of karmic results, and they will destroy all wrong views. They will not spurn the teachings or seek out any teachers other than the blessed buddhas. They will always follow the true nature of all phenomena. They will follow the genuine path practiced by the saṅgha. Through observing pure discipline and effortlessly accomplishing acceptance, they will attain faith that is unwavering, unchanging, and extraordinary. They are thus said to possess the power of faith.”

The Power of Diligence

The Power of Mindfulness

The Power of Absorption

The Power of Insight


8.

Chapter Eight: The Eightfold Path of the Noble Ones

8.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled in the path of the noble ones? The bodhisattva great beings are steadfast on the noble path. What is meant by path in this context? It is the eightfold path of the noble ones, which comprises right view, right thought, [F.63.a] right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right absorption. Lokadhara, what is it that bodhisattva great beings practice on the eightfold path of the noble ones? And what means do they obtain on the eightfold path of the noble ones?”

Right View

Right Thought

Right Speech

Right Action

Right Livelihood

Right Effort

Right Mindfulness

Right Absorption


9.

Chapter Nine: The Phenomena of the World and Transcendence

9.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings skilled regarding the phenomena of the world and transcendence? What means do they obtain with regard to the phenomena of the world and transcendence? Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings understand the phenomena of the world and transcendence to be true reality.

9.­2

“What are the phenomena of the world? Bodhisattvas think, ‘Thoughts and concepts about phenomena arise from mistaken perception, they are generated by causes and conditions, and they depend on falsity. Since they arise from the marks of duality, they are empty and nonexistent. They fool childish ordinary beings, like the bright colors reflecting from a pearl or the spinning of a firebrand. The world is given as a synonym for things that decay and degenerate. This is the world. These worldly phenomena are all unreal; they arise from false conditions and lack the characteristics of arising or being created. They are labeled as aggregates, elements, sense sources, forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tactile objects, or mental objects, and described as name-and-form. [F.67.b] Through their attachment and clinging, childish ordinary beings generate further attachment and clinging in a variety of forms, just as tangled silk fringes72 or entwined roots and creepers are linked, one to another. Worldly phenomena are described based upon such mistaken perception.


10.

Chapter Ten: The Conditioned and the Unconditioned

10.­1

“Lokadhara, how are bodhisattva great beings highly skilled regarding conditioned and unconditioned phenomena? What means do they obtain regarding conditioned and unconditioned phenomena? Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings discern and contemplate conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. [F.69.a]

10.­2

“How do they discern and contemplate conditioned phenomena? Conditioned phenomena are compounded and without experiencer. Conditioned phenomena are called conditioned phenomena because they are considered to be naturally arising and naturally categorized. Conditioned phenomena come about due to formations created by false causes and conditions. Why are conditioned phenomena naturally categorized?73 When formations are perceived through the condition of duality, they are labeled as conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena are uncreated and free from a creator. Since they are naturally arising, they cannot be generated. Thus, they are called conditioned phenomena. Conditioned phenomena do not exist internally, externally, or somewhere in-between; they are not one or many. They arise from false imputation. They are nonexistent, since they have arisen through ignorance. Though they can be perceived due to formations, they are uncreated and nonarising. Therefore, they are called conditioned. Conditioned means being bound by marks, and the conditioned is taught for the sake of childish ordinary beings who are attached to mistaken perceptions. The wise, full of understanding and knowledge, do not observe them as conditioned phenomena or something understood to be conditioned phenomena. They are called conditioned phenomena because the wise do not categorize them. Why is this? How do the wise know and understand the features of the conditioned? The wise view all conditioned phenomena as being false, insubstantial, and without bondage. They see that they cannot be categorized. When they contemplate this, they are not attached to conditioned phenomena, and they do not appropriate conditioned phenomena. Why is this? Lokadhara, it is not the case that unconditioned phenomena exist separate from conditioned phenomena, or that conditioned phenomena exist separate from unconditioned phenomena, [F.69.b] for the characteristic of the thatness of the conditioned is the unconditioned. Why is this? There is nothing conditioned within the conditioned, and nothing unconditioned within the unconditioned. Still, so that mistaken beings can see and understand the characteristics of the conditioned, bodhisattvas teach and explain, saying, ‘This is conditioned,’ ‘This is unconditioned,’ ‘This is the characteristic of the conditioned,’ and ‘This is the characteristic of the unconditioned.’


11.

Chapter Eleven: The Teaching on What Occurred in the Past

11.­1

“Lokadhara, through their great knowledge of the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, the twelve sense sources, the twelve links of dependent origination, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the phenomena of the world and transcendence, and conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, bodhisattva great beings will gain great knowledge of the characteristic of the thatness of all phenomena. They will become highly skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena. They will attain the power of recollection. They will have the intelligence that discerns the terminology for all phenomena. As soon as they exchange their bodies, they will obtain unbroken recollection, and they will eventually attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

11.­2

“Lokadhara, countless immeasurable eons ago, a blessed buddha named Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River appeared in the world. He was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a blissful one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, and a teacher of gods and humans. Lokadhara, the lifespan of the blessed Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River was five eons. His saṅgha of hearers was immeasurable. His buddha realm was pure and happy. All the beings who lived there were happy and joyful; they had little attachment, aggression, and ignorance; [F.71.a] they were easy to guide, easy to correct, and easy to purify.

11.­3

“Lokadhara, the blessed Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River taught his bodhisattva assemblies a discourse called The Bodhisattva Collection That Counters the Doubts of All Beings. Lokadhara, in the assembly there was a bodhisattva named Ratnaprabha. He became tremendously diligent when he heard the teachings on the practices of the five aggregates, the eighteen elements, the twelve sense sources, the twelve links of dependent origination, the four applications of mindfulness, the five powers, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the phenomena of the world and transcendence, and conditioned and unconditioned phenomena. For the length of his life, which was two hundred thousand years, he never generated any attitude of negativity. Thus, he did not give rise to attachment, aggression, or ignorance, nor did he have any concern for profit, fame, food, drink, clothing, or his begging bowl. Rather, he generated great diligence in order to engage in the practice of this teaching. Lokadhara, the bodhisattva great being Ratnaprabha observed pure conduct within the teachings of the blessed Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River for his entire life. As he transitioned to another life, he was born again in that very buddha realm. After passing away young, he was once again born into that buddha realm, where he practiced pure conduct. He then took birth five hundred times per eon, until finally, at the end of the fifth eon, as the blessed Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River neared parinirvāṇa, he gained extensive learning and skill in applying Dharma teachings of the true characteristic such as this.75 At that point, he remembered all the teachings that he had heard from this Buddha. Endowed with the power of such recollection, he requested the Blessed One, ‘Blessed One, I request an extensive explanation of these Dharma teachings. Would you please give it?’ [F.71.b] In that very life, he brought countless, immeasurable beings to unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

11.­4

“As the blessed Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River passed into parinirvāṇa, he entrusted the bodhisattva Ratnaprabha to uphold the Dharma. Thereby, after the Blessed One had passed into parinirvāṇa, the Dharma remained for another eon. In his five hundred lifetimes during that eon, Ratnaprabha always took birth as a human being, received ordination, and generated and propagated the true reality of all phenomena. Additionally, he served the purpose of bringing benefit and happiness to countless numbers of immeasurably many beings.

11.­5

“Lokadhara, in the same manner, the bodhisattva Ratnaprabha met many tens of thousands of other buddhas, until finally he received a prophecy from the buddha Apramāṇābha, who prophesied that after one countless eon, Ratnaprabha would fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. During that countless eon, Ratnaprabha met billions of buddhas, after which he fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood as the blessed buddha Ornament of Certainty in Any Subject. He became a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a blissful one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, and a teacher of gods and humans. His bodhisattva assembly was unfathomable and immeasurable. His assembly of hearers was also beyond count. This buddha’s lifespan was two eons, and his buddha realm was very happy and adorned with the finest ornaments. Therefore, Lokadhara, bodhisattvas who wish to become skilled in the application of these teachings [F.72.a] must train in, recite, and exert themselves diligently in these teachings.

11.­6

“Furthermore, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain the skillful application of these teachings must exert themselves in developing four qualities. What are these four? They are going forth from the household into the homeless life, living alone, having pure discipline, and dispelling the attitude of laziness. Endowed with these four bodhisattva qualities, they will swiftly encounter four circumstances, if they apply themselves to study and are steadfast in patience. What are these four? They are being born in the center of Jambudvīpa, meeting the Buddha, practicing the Dharma, and dispelling the obscurations of negative action.

11.­7

“Moreover, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who exert themselves in this teaching will purify the powers of generosity, discipline, patience, diligence, concentration, and insight. When bodhisattva great beings live by this teaching, they will swiftly attain the power of skillful application. Moreover, Lokadhara, even when bodhisattva great beings engage in a small aspect of ascetic practice, they will do so with great compassion for beings. Immersed in such great compassion, they will exert themselves in the skillful application of these teachings. Moreover, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who wish to attain such qualities must exert themselves in entering the dhāraṇī gateways. What does it mean to make effort to enter the dhāraṇī gateways? It means contemplating the limitless conditions for all Dharma teachings, contemplating the limitless skillful applications of all Dharma teachings, and, moreover, contemplating the emergence of these limitless skillful applications.76 [F.72.b] As they contemplate such, they will use their skillful application of gateways of absorption to enter limitless conditions for gateways into all Dharma teachings. With such power of entry, with its limitless skillful applications, they will gain knowledge of the true reality of all phenomena. They will be skilled in discerning the characteristics of all phenomena. They will possess the power of recollection. They will possess the insight that is skilled in discerning all phenomena. After leaving their bodies, they will obtain unbroken recollection. Having become irreversible from the Dharma, they will eventually attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening.

11.­8

“Lokadhara, furthermore, through having entered the dhāraṇī gateways, bodhisattva great beings understand all phenomena in accordance with each of their causes and conditions. Through a single cause and condition, they understand thousands of causes and conditions, and attain access to all phenomena in accord with insight. Furthermore, Lokadhara, by generating such diligence in the practice of the Dharma, bodhisattva great beings will enter the absorption of the gateway of the single characteristic. Once they attain the absorption of the gateway of the single characteristic, they will enter the absorption of limitless characteristics. Once they have entered that, they will enter the gateway of all phenomena by means of various causes, conditions, and methods. In this manner, bodhisattvas attain access to all phenomena by entering the gateway of all phenomena.

11.­9

“Furthermore, Lokadhara, by intensively cultivating insight, bodhisattva great beings become skilled concerning the characteristics of concentration and skilled in the absorption free from observation. Through the force of such absorption, they will become skilled in limitless forms of observation and limitless ways of arising from absorption. If bodhisattvas abide in this, they will gain access to the true characteristics of all phenomena. [F.73.a] Furthermore, Lokadhara, while bodhisattva great beings always contemplate the means of observing the world and contemplate the observation of conditioned phenomena, they also exert themselves in destroying the means of observing all phenomena, and they are free from any attachment. By cultivating this teaching, bodhisattvas will swiftly gain access to all phenomena. Furthermore, Lokadhara, when bodhisattva great beings practice with tremendous diligence and generate the strength of practice, they contemplate the true characteristic of all phenomena, do not dwell on worldly happiness, and do not get mixed up with worldly concerns. With such a practice, one will swiftly become skilled concerning the true characteristics of phenomena, become skilled in discerning the characteristics of phenomena, gain the power of recollection, gain the insight that is skilled in discerning the categories of all phenomena, gain unbroken recollection after leaving one’s body, and attain unsurpassed and perfect awakening. Therefore, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings who wish to perfect these qualities must practice according to this teaching. Lokadhara, if you diligently practice this teaching, before long you will attain unimpeded wisdom with regard to this teaching.

11.­10

“Lokadhara, countless, limitless, fathomless immeasurable eons ago, a blessed buddha named Royal Light of Limitless Qualities appeared in the world. He was a thus-gone one, a worthy one, a perfect buddha, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a blissful one, a knower of the world, an unsurpassed being, a charioteer who guides beings, and a teacher of gods and humans. [F.73.b] The lifespan of the blessed one Royal Light of Limitless Qualities was one eon. His buddha realm was covered with a latticed canopy of the seven precious substances. This world was adorned with palm trees made of the seven precious substances, and these palm trees themselves were adorned with latticed canopies of the seven precious substances. Below each palm tree was a lion throne. Divine fabrics magically appeared from each palm tree. The lion thrones were fashioned of beryl, gold from the Jambū River, and red pearl. In each of the four directions surrounding the palm trees were fragrant and flowering trees. Below each tree as well were small ponds filled with water of the eight qualities. The ponds were made of crystal, emerald, and red pearl. The surfaces of the ponds were covered with blue, red, white, and pink lotus flowers. The banks of the ponds were made of the seven precious substances.

11.­11

“Lokadhara, this buddha realm was adorned with many precious substances. In the periphery, in the four directions of this world, were many thousands of trees found in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, such as pārijāta and kovidāra trees. The light shining from these trees outshone the light of the sun, moon, and stars. Lokadhara, in this world various sublime melodies sprang from the palm trees and their jeweled lattices, and it sounded just like the melodious song and praises of the gods. The music was always extremely pleasing. There were no three lower realms here; even the name three lower realms was unheard of.

11.­12

“Lokadhara, the blessed Royal Light of Limitless Qualities [F.74.a] taught the following Dharma in full to the beings there. He taught the perfection of insight and the Bodhisattva Collection called Countering the Doubts and Pleasing the Minds of All Beings. Lokadhara, when the blessed Royal Light of Limitless Qualities taught the Dharma, within a single day, hundreds of thousands of beings would develop the mind directed toward unsurpassed and perfect awakening. All of them also completed the accumulations that lead to awakening. Lokadhara, in this manner, the blessed Royal Light of Limitless Qualities ripened countlessly many innumerable beings to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. The bodhisattva great beings in this buddha realm were in great number. Lokadhara, after that Blessed One entered parinirvāṇa, the sublime Dharma remained for half an eon. Then, since the blessed Royal Light of Limitless Qualities had entered parinirvāṇa, the sublime Dharma came close to disappearing. At that time there was a bodhisattva named Limitless Intelligence, who lived in a buddha realm located below, past ten buddha realms. When his life there ended, he was born in this buddha realm, where he received ordination at the age of sixteen. When the Dharma of the blessed Royal Light of Limitless Qualities had come close to disappearing, he heard the discourse that applies the liberation of the bodhisattva great beings to the aggregates, elements, and sense sources. The bodhisattva Limitless Intelligence heard this discourse and generated great diligence, perfected the related qualities, and gained the profound power of mastery. Through the causes and conditions of his roots of virtue, after this bodhisattva left that life, he encountered two hundred thousand buddhas [F.74.b] and received their teachings. Since he continuously recalled his past lives, he received ordination at an early age. He practiced pure conduct and always had the power of remembrance. No matter where he was born, he never lost this Dharma. In all his lives, his remembrance was unbroken. Once he fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, his name was Royal Array of Boundless Light. Lokadhara, therefore bodhisattva great beings who wish to fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood, and who seek to perfect omniscient wisdom rapidly, must, during the final period of five hundred years after I have entered parinirvāṇa, be diligent and generate a strong resolve. Then they must generate great interest, great diligence, and great carefulness, so that in that dire latter age they will protect and sustain this discourse and others.”

11.­13

At that moment the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla rose from his seat, and with his palms pressed together in the direction of the Blessed One said, “Blessed One, when the sublime Dharma comes close to disappearing during the final five-hundred-year period to come, we shall generate tremendous diligence and read, recite, listen, retain, and teach in full this discourse and others, in order to protect and sustain them.”

11.­14

Additionally, thousands of bodhisattvas rose from their seats, and with palms pressed together in the direction of the Blessed One, gazed upon him with unblinking eyes and promised, “Blessed One, in the final five-hundred-year period to come, we will sustain and uphold this discourse, which is profound and free from attachment, which is the light of all the buddhas, [F.75.a] which arouses the virtuous qualities of the bodhisattvas, and which perfects the accumulations of awakening of all bodhisattvas. Having heard this teaching, we are purified‍—our minds are purified. We will exert ourselves in seeking, bearing, retaining, reciting, and reading it.”

11.­15

The Blessed One then smiled, and the worlds of the great trichiliocosm were filled with light, and all the worlds shook six times. Then Ānanda rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. With his palms together, he bowed toward the Blessed One and asked, “Due to what cause and condition did you smile today such that the earth shook?”

11.­16

The Blessed One answered, “Did you see these bodhisattva great beings pledge, with great resolve, to sustain and uphold this profound discourse, the Dharma of nonattachment, in the future? Ānanda, these bodhisattvas have not only made this pledge in this one life. Ānanda, I recall that these bodhisattvas have previously pledged, in countless, innumerable buddha realms, to sustain the teachings of those buddhas throughout the three times. Thereby, they have served the purpose of benefitting and bringing happiness to countless, innumerable beings. They will also protect and sustain my teachings throughout the three times. At present, and when the Dharma is waning after I have entered parinirvāṇa, they will serve the purpose of benefitting and bringing happiness to innumerable beings. [F.75.b] Ānanda,77 Bhadrapāla and the others will not only sustain my teachings throughout the three times‍—they will also sustain and uphold the teachings of all the buddhas of this Fortunate Eon. Likewise, they will sustain and uphold similar teachings of the buddhas of the future. Ānanda, if I attempted to describe the effortlessly accomplished virtues of such bodhisattvas and the purposes they have served in benefitting and bringing happiness to innumerable beings, my explanations would never end. Ānanda, if I described the qualities of these bodhisattvas, beings would not believe it. If beings do not trust the Buddha’s speech, they will toss aside their long-term well-being and fall into the lower realms to suffer greatly. Ānanda, I shall now describe a mere fraction of the purposes these bodhisattvas have served in benefitting others and bringing them happiness, aside from the fact that they have adhered to their previous aspirations. Imagine that all beings in all the worlds of the great trichiliocosm had fallen into the great hells. One of them might then say, ‘All of you, do not be afraid. I will take upon myself all your suffering in these great hells.’ That being might then physically accept, for thousands of years, all the hellish suffering of the beings that had thus been freed from the great hell realms. Tell me Ānanda? Would that person have brought them great benefit and happiness?”

11.­17

“Blessed One,” Ānanda replied, “that person would indeed have brought them great benefit and happiness.”

“Ānanda, imagine then that, having extricated these beings from the hells, that person independently brought them all the most sublime worldly happiness. Ānanda, would that person then have kindly benefitted these beings and brought them happiness?”

11.­18

Ānanda replied, [F.76.a] “It would not be easy to verbally describe the benefit that person brought them.”

“Ānanda, today I have spoken the truth, for the benefit and happiness brought by such a person does not come close in terms of the measure, size, or likeness of the benefit and happiness brought to beings by the bodhisattva Bhadrapāla and the others. Why is this? Ānanda, the benefit brought by that being would be in terms of material comforts, all of which are conditioned phenomena, and so they would not bring about disenchantment, contentment, the abandonment of desire, insight, the fruits of the mendicant life, or nirvāṇa. On the other hand, Ānanda, the benefit and happiness brought to beings by these bodhisattvas bring them unsurpassed happiness. They make the wise develop interest in pursuing the awakening of buddhahood; they perform the deeds of the buddhas; they cause the hearers and solitary buddhas‍—who have not yet entered the genuine abode‍—to attain that level; and they bring benefit and joy to bodhisattvas by teaching and instructing them through the Dharma teachings of buddhahood. Ānanda, bodhisattvas remain in the world teaching and instructing, thus bringing benefit and joy to others, in order to ensure the continuity of the lineage of the Buddha, and to protect and sustain the lineage of omniscient wisdom. Ānanda, when these beings previously engaged in bodhisattva conduct, they ensured the continuity of the buddhas’ lineage for billions of eons, and in the future too they will ensure the continuity of the buddhas’ lineage for countless millions of eons. Why is this? Ānanda, when these bodhisattvas were engaged in bodhisattva conduct in the past, they steered countless buddhas toward the awakening of buddhahood. In all their lives, these bodhisattvas protected the Dharma [F.76.b] and effortlessly accomplished the unsurpassed and perfect awakening of millions of buddhas. They also steered countless hundreds of thousands of beings toward the awakening of buddhahood, and, through the power of teaching and training them, they all perfected the qualities of buddhahood and fully awakened to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Ānanda, Bhadrapāla and the others have exerted themselves diligently so that many beings could attain the happiness of buddhahood and omniscient wisdom. Ānanda, if someone wishes to teach about the support and refuge, which are like a bodhisattva’s parents, and the source of the bodhisattvas, they must be aware of the one hundred bodhisattvas, such as Bhadrapāla. Ānanda, if someone asks who was born in the family of the bodhisattvas, one must reply, ‘They are the one hundred bodhisattvas, such as Bhadrapāla.’

11.­19

“In this manner, these noble children stay in the world to ensure the continuity of the lineage of the buddhas, and to ensure the continuity of the lineage of omniscient wisdom. During the final five-hundred-year period to come, these noble children will use their power of skillful application in teaching and training, and the causes and conditions of happiness to prevent many beings from falling into the three lower realms. They will also establish countless thousands of other beings in the vehicle of the bodhisattvas. Ānanda, even thousands of buddhas could not conclusively extol the qualities of these noble children. Why is this? Because the virtues of these noble children are unfathomable. Ānanda, these noble children will sustain and uphold the Dharma that I accomplished over thousands of countless and incalculable eons. Ānanda, I entrust them with, and instruct them in, the Jewel of the Dharma that I accomplished over countless thousands of eons. [F.77.a] This is because these noble children are cared for by all the buddhas presently abiding in their countless and incalculable buddha realms. Ānanda, these noble children are always an object for the veneration of the world and its gods and humans. Ānanda, when the thousands of buddhas throughout the ten directions teach the Dharma, they praise and advise these noble children. Ānanda, I prophesy that, in the future, a noble son or daughter who upholds, remembers, reads, recites, explains, or teaches it fully to others, in order to counter the doubts of all beings, be close to omniscient wisdom. Any being who hears this discourse in the future and feels faith, interest, and commitment to this profound Dharma must be prophesied to fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. Any noble son or daughter who, during the final five-hundred-year period to come, arouses an attitude of faith and inspiration, and diligently guards and retains this discourse, will be entrusted and invested by me with the Dharma of unsurpassed and perfect awakening. I prophesy that any hearer who trusts this profound Dharma and does not have wrong notions about it will meet the Buddha Maitreya in the future. All those seeking the qualities of buddhahood who remember and trust this Dharma will receive prophecy from Buddha Maitreya; due to their past aspirations, they will take ordination and train in the lineage of awakening. Ānanda, know that during the final five-hundred-year period to come, any noble son or daughter who gives rise to diligence for the sake of this teaching will have zealous and constant roots of virtue.” [F.77.b]

11.­20

This was the eleventh chapter: “The Teaching on What Occurred in the Past.”


12.

Chapter Twelve: The Entrustment

12.­1

The bodhisattva great being Lokadhara then requested the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please consecrate this discourse to protect it and bring benefit and happiness to bodhisattva great beings. If bodhisattva great beings hear this discourse in the future, their minds will become pure, joyful, and happy. They will then give rise to diligence in order to accomplish these teachings.”

Then, as the Blessed One consecrated this discourse, he used his miraculous powers to fill the worlds of the great trichiliocosm with miraculous and incredible scents and fragrances. Beings gazed upon one another with a loving attitude.


n.

Notes

n.­1
Herrmann-Pfandt, 2008.
n.­2
Alternatively, although less likely, the Sanskrit source text for the Tibetan translation could have been nearly identical to Kumārajīva’s source text.
n.­3
Both the Stok manuscript (Tib. rgya) and the Chinese (印) read “seal” here, whereas the Degé reads “causes” (Tib. rgyu).
n.­4
Translated based on the Chinese (衆生) and Stok (Tib. sems can). Degé reads: sems.
n.­5
The expression “evil world of the five degenerations” (Tib. rnyog pa lnga’i ’jig rten ngan pa) is a rare, literal translation of the Chinese, 五濁惡世, which in turn translates the Sanskrit pañcakaṣāyaloka. This is further evidence that the Tibetan was translated from Chinese.
n.­6
Translated based on Stok: ma yin. Degé reads: yin.
n.­7
Meaning that when one takes a raft across a river, one need not carry the raft beyond the bank; it has served its purpose.
n.­8
Kumārajīva’s Chinese translation of this sentence, as it appears in Taishō 482, seems to present a quotation: “Noble children, as explained in the discourses, ‘Monks, if those who want to know my Dharma are to discard even the Dharma as they would a raft, what need is there to mention what is non-Dharma?’ ” (諸善男子。如經中説。汝等比丘。若知我法如栰喩者。法尚應捨。何況非法。). Although the parable of the teachings being like a raft that must be discarded once it has served its purpose is well-known throughout Buddhist literature, we have been unable to locate this precise statement in other scriptures.
n.­38
The eye and form.
n.­42
The Chinese reads 行, “formations” here.
n.­61
The Chinese would read here: “pure liberation and pure knowledge and experience of liberation”; 解脱清淨。解脱知見清淨。.
n.­72
Translation tentative. Degé: kha tshar dar ’dzings pa.
n.­73
Read according to the Chinese: 云何為行自墮數中。. Degé: ’du byed cis bya ba ni bgrang ba’i grangs su gtogs.
n.­75
Reading informed by the Chinese: 亦得如是諸法實相方便.
n.­76
Read informed by the Chinese: 所謂善觀一切法無量縁。觀一切法無量方便。亦觀無量方便起。. Variant readings provide the following for this phrase: 所謂善觀諸法無量縁。觀一切無量方便。亦觀無量方便起。. This would alternatively read: “It means contemplating the limitless conditions of Dharma teachings, contemplating the skillful application of all the limitless [conditions], and contemplating the emergence of limitless skillful applications. The Tibetan reads: chos thams cad kyi rkyen tshad med pa la rtog pa dang / tshad med pa thams cad kyi rtog pa la sbyor ba dang ldan pa’i sbyor ba’i tshad pa la rtog pa’o/.
n.­77
Degé reads “Lokadhara,” but this seems to be an error.

b.

Bibliography

’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo (Āryālokadhara­paripṛcchānāma­sūtra). Toh 174, Degé Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 7b.4–78b.7.

’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’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), 2006–2009, vol. 60, pp. 22–206.

’phags pa ’jig rten ’dzin gyis yongs su dris pa zhes bya ba’i mdo (Āryālokadhara­paripṛcchānāma­sūtra). In bka’ ’gyur (stog pho brang bris ma). Vol. 72 (mdo sde, zha), folios 1r–110v.

Chang, Cornelius P. “A Re-evaluation of the Development of Hsing-su Style in the Fourth Century AD.” National Palace Museum Quarterly, 11/2 (Winter 1976): 19–44.

Digital Dictionary of Buddhism. http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/.

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

Lokadharaparipṛcchā; Chishi jing 持世經 (Taishō 482). Translated by Kumārajīva. In Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō 大正新脩大藏經, ed. Junjirō Takakusu, Kaikyoku Watanabe, 100 vols., Tokyo: Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō Kankōkai, 1924–34.

Stein, R. A. “The Two Vocabularies of Indo-Tibetan and Sino-Tibetan Translations in the Dunhuang Manuscripts.” In Rolf Stein’s Tibetica Antiqua with Additional Materials, trans. and ed. Arthur P. McKeown. Leiden: Brill, 2010, pp. 1–96.


g.

Glossary

g.­1

Absorption

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

A general term for states of deep concentration. One of the synonyms for meditation, referring in particular to a state of complete concentration or focus.

19 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­12
  • 1.­29
  • 6.­10
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­8
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­11
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­9
  • g.­30
  • g.­38
  • g.­39
  • g.­47
  • g.­98

Links to further resources:

  • 76 related glossary entries
g.­2

Acceptance

  • bzod pa
  • བཟོད་པ།
  • kṣānti

The capacity to accept or tolerate experiences which ordinary beings cannot tolerate. It is the preparatory step to profound insight into reality. It also refers to the third stage of the path of joining (prayogamārga, sbyor lam). It is also the third transcendent perfection, in which context it has been rendered here as patience.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­30
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­48
  • 5.­18
  • 5.­19
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­5
  • 12.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 37 related glossary entries
g.­3

Aggregate

  • phung po
  • ཕུང་པོ།
  • skandha

See “five aggregates for appropriation.”

41 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­9
  • 2.­10
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­25
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47
  • 2.­48
  • 5.­1
  • 6.­2
  • 9.­2
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­12
  • g.­42
  • g.­80

Links to further resources:

  • 57 related glossary entries
g.­5

Ānanda

  • dga’ bo
  • དགའ་བོ།
  • Ānanda
  • 阿難

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha (according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).

Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras, usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­15
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­17
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­19

Links to further resources:

  • 78 related glossary entries
g.­7

Applications of mindfulness

  • dran pa nye bar bzhag pa
  • དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ།
  • smṛtyupasthāna
  • 念處

See “four applications of mindfulness.”

3 passages contain this term:

  • 6.­1
  • 6.­17
  • 8.­10

Links to further resources:

  • 26 related glossary entries
g.­9

Appropriation

  • nye bar len pa
  • len pa
  • ཉེ་བར་ལེན་པ།
  • ལེན་པ།
  • upādāna

In some texts, four types of appropriation are listed: of desire (rāga), of view (dṛṣṭi), of rules and observances as paramount (śīla­vrata­parāmarśa), and of belief in a self (ātmavāda). The term nye bar len pa also means “grasping” and it was rendered as such when it refers to the ninth of the twelve links of dependent origination, between craving and becoming.

16 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­4
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­31
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 3.­4
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­16
  • 8.­8
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­10
  • 8.­11
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • g.­35

Links to further resources:

  • 15 related glossary entries
g.­10

Apramāṇābha

  • tshad med ’od
  • ཚད་མེད་འོད།
  • Apramāṇābha
  • 無量光

A buddha from the past.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 11.­5
g.­11

Ascetic practice

  • sbyangs pa’i yon tan
  • སྦྱངས་པའི་ཡོན་ཏན།
  • dhūtaguṇa
  • 頭陀

An optional set of thirteen practices that monastics can adopt in order to cultivate greater detachment. They consist of 1) wearing patched robes made from discarded cloth rather than from cloth donated by laypeople; 2) wearing only three robes; 3) going for alms; 4) not omitting any house while on the alms round, rather than begging only at those houses known to provide good food; 5) eating only what can be eaten in one sitting; 6) eating only food received in the alms bowl, rather than more elaborate meals presented to the Saṅgha; 7) refusing more food after indicating one has eaten enough; 8) dwelling in the forest; 9) dwelling at the root of a tree; 10) dwelling in the open air, using only a tent made from one’s robes as shelter; 11) dwelling in a charnel ground; 12) satisfaction with whatever dwelling one has; and 13) sleeping in a sitting position without ever lying down.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 11.­7

Links to further resources:

  • 16 related glossary entries
g.­13

Bhadrapāla

  • bzang skyong
  • བཟང་སྐྱོང་།
  • Bhadrapāla
  • 跋陀婆羅

A bodhisattva in the Buddha’s retinue.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­13
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­5

Links to further resources:

  • 22 related glossary entries
g.­14

Blessed one

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

In Buddhist literature, an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generically means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts this term implies that a buddha is in possession of six auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The Tibetan term‍—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa‍—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat (“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj, “to break.”

38 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­4
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­46
  • 1.­47
  • 1.­49
  • 1.­50
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­46
  • 2.­47
  • 4.­1
  • 7.­2
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­4
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­13
  • 11.­14
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­17
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­5

Links to further resources:

  • 116 related glossary entries
g.­15

Blissful one

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

Epithet of a buddha, meaning “one who has reached bliss.”

5 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­42
  • 2.­42
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10

Links to further resources:

  • 60 related glossary entries
g.­16

Bodhisattva Collection

  • byang chub kyi sde snod
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སྡེ་སྣོད།
  • bodhisattvapiṭaka
  • 菩薩藏

An old term for Mahāyāna corpus.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­42
  • 1.­46
  • 11.­12
  • 12.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 8 related glossary entries
g.­19

Buddha realm

  • sangs rgyas kyi zhing
  • སངས་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་ཞིང་།
  • buddhakṣetra

A pure realm manifested by a buddha or advanced bodhisattva through the power of their great merit and aspirations.

11 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­42
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­2
  • g.­18

Links to further resources:

  • 25 related glossary entries
g.­20

Conditioned

  • ’dus byas
  • འདུས་བྱས།
  • saṃ­skṛta

This term refers to composite objects in the generic sense. In other contexts, it can also refer to “formations.”

21 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­37
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­48
  • 3.­18
  • 6.­4
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­11
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­3
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­5
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­2
  • g.­80

Links to further resources:

  • 7 related glossary entries
g.­21

Consciousness

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

The third link of dependent origination, the fifth of the five aggregates. In most Abhidharma accounts it comprises the six sensory consciousnesses (eye, ear, nose, taste, body, and mind), but in Yogācāra theory two more kinds of consciousness, afflicted (kliṣṭamanas) and storehouse (ālayavijñāna), are added. For the sixth consciousness, see also “mind consciousness.”

34 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­11
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­25
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­29
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­33
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­9
  • 3.­10
  • 3.­11
  • 4.­1
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­5
  • 5.­6
  • 6.­11
  • n.­15
  • g.­29
  • g.­35
  • g.­74
  • g.­90
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 21 related glossary entries
g.­24

Dhāraṇī

  • gzungs
  • གཟུངས།
  • dhāraṇī
  • 陀羅尼

Usually this term refers to a statement, or spell, meant to protect or bring about a particular result. Here however, the term also has the meaning of “recall” or “memory.”

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­30
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8

Links to further resources:

  • 94 related glossary entries
g.­25

Dharma

  • chos
  • ཆོས།
  • dharma

The term “dharma” (chos) conveys ten different meanings, according to Vasubandhu’s Vyākhyā­yukti. It may mean the Buddhist teachings, the awakened qualities which buddhas and bodhisattvas acquire, phenomena or things in general, etc. In the context of this work, it was rendered as “Dharma” when it refers to the teachings, and in other contexts, rendered according to the specific meaning, namely as phenomena and qualities. See also i.­4.

54 passages contain this term:

  • i.­4
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­19
  • 1.­20
  • 1.­22
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­40
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­46
  • 1.­47
  • 1.­49
  • 1.­53
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­58
  • 1.­59
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47
  • 2.­48
  • 4.­6
  • 7.­3
  • 9.­4
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­6
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­13
  • 11.­16
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­3
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­5
  • n.­8
  • n.­76
  • g.­22
  • g.­26
  • g.­27
  • g.­49
  • g.­58
  • g.­82
  • g.­104
  • g.­112

Links to further resources:

  • 34 related glossary entries
g.­27

Dharma gateway

  • chos kyi sgo
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྒོ།
  • dharmamukha
  • 法門

A teaching or spiritual method by which the Dharma is understood.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­58
  • 1.­59
  • 2.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 3 related glossary entries
g.­29

Eighteen elements

  • khams bco brgyad
  • ཁམས་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།
  • aṣṭa­daśa­dhātu

One way of describing experience and the world in terms of eighteen elements (eye, form, and eye consciousness; ear, sound, and ear consciousness; nose, odor, and nose consciousness; tongue, taste, and tongue consciousness; body, touch, and body consciousness; mind, mental phenomena, and mind consciousness).

14 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­14
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­31
  • g.­40
  • g.­74
  • g.­90

Links to further resources:

  • 8 related glossary entries
g.­30

Eightfold path of the noble ones

  • ’phags pa’i lam yan lag brgyad pa
  • འཕགས་པའི་ལམ་ཡན་ལག་བརྒྱད་པ།
  • āryāṣṭāṅgamārga
  • 八聖道分

Correct view, thought, speech, actions, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and absorption. These eight are part of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

8 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 2.­1
  • 8.­1
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­104

Links to further resources:

  • 40 related glossary entries
g.­31

Element

  • khams
  • ཁམས།
  • dhātu
  • 性

See “eighteen elements.”

22 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­9
  • 3.­10
  • 3.­11
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­15
  • 3.­16
  • 3.­18
  • 9.­2
  • 11.­12
  • n.­37
  • g.­98

Links to further resources:

  • 56 related glossary entries
g.­33

Feeling

  • tshor ba
  • ཚོར་བ།
  • vedanā

The seventh link of dependent origination. The second of the five aggregates.

23 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­5
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­9
  • 2.­10
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­33
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­9
  • 5.­10
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­8
  • 6.­9
  • 6.­10
  • g.­35
  • g.­44
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 21 related glossary entries
g.­34

Five aggregates

  • phung po lnga
  • ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།
  • pañcaskandha

See “five aggregates for appropriation.”

21 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­29
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • n.­24
  • g.­21
  • g.­33
  • g.­40
  • g.­42
  • g.­81

Links to further resources:

  • 16 related glossary entries
g.­38

Five powers

  • dbang po lnga
  • དབང་པོ་ལྔ།
  • pañcendriya
  • 五根

Faith, diligence, mindfulness, absorption, and insight. These are the same as the five strengths at a lesser stage of development. See also n.­64.

11 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 2.­1
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­2
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­39
  • g.­59
  • g.­104

Links to further resources:

  • 25 related glossary entries
g.­40

Form

  • gzugs
  • གཟུགས།
  • rūpa

The first of the five aggregates. The third of the eighteen elements.

40 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­58
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­33
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­38
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­4
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­9
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­6
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­8
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­4
  • 6.­13
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­11
  • 9.­2
  • n.­38
  • g.­29
  • g.­35
  • g.­74
  • g.­90
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 19 related glossary entries
g.­42

Formation

  • ’du byed
  • འདུ་བྱེད།
  • saṃskāra

Fourth of the five aggregates, second of the twelve links of dependent origination, and in the context of the aggregates sometimes also called “volitions,” “volitional formations,” or “compositional factors,” these are complex propensities that bring about action.

31 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­26
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­33
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­5
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­5
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­17
  • 7.­8
  • 10.­2
  • n.­42
  • g.­20
  • g.­35
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 40 related glossary entries
g.­44

Four applications of mindfulness

  • dran pa nye bar bzhag pa bzhi
  • དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ་བཞི།
  • catuhsmṛtyupasthāna
  • 四念處

Four contemplations on: (1) the body, (2) feelings, (3) mind, and (4) mental objects. These four contemplations are part of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.

12 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­5
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­29
  • 2.­1
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­17
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­7
  • g.­104

Links to further resources:

  • 19 related glossary entries
g.­52

God

  • lha
  • ལྷ།
  • deva

One of the five or six classes of sentient beings, specifically engendered and dominated by exaltation, indulgence, and pride. According to Buddhist cosmology, the gods are said to exist in many levels of celestial or divine realms, higher than that of the human realm, within in the desire realm, in the form realm, and in the formless realm.

20 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­4
  • 1.­42
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­47
  • 7.­8
  • 7.­9
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­5
  • n.­20
  • n.­64
  • g.­12

Links to further resources:

  • 61 related glossary entries
g.­53

Great trichiliocosm

  • stong gsum gyi stong chen po’i ’jig rten gyi khams
  • སྟོང་གསུམ་གྱི་སྟོང་ཆེན་པོའི་འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཁམས།
  • tri­sāhasra­mahā­sāhasra­loka­dhātu

The largest universe spoken of in Buddhist cosmology, consisting of one billion smaller world systems.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­46
  • 11.­15
  • 11.­16
  • 12.­1

Links to further resources:

  • 51 related glossary entries
g.­54

Hearer

  • nyan thos
  • ཉན་ཐོས།
  • śrāvaka

It is usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily it refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat by seeking self liberation and nirvāṇa.

10 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • 1.­42
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­42
  • 7.­5
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 102 related glossary entries
g.­56

Heaven of the Thirty-Three

  • sum cu rtsa gsum
  • སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གསུམ།
  • Trāyastriṃśa
  • 忉利天

One of the six heavens of the desire realm.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­47
  • 11.­11

Links to further resources:

  • 71 related glossary entries
g.­59

Insight

  • shes rab
  • ཤེས་རབ།
  • prajñā

The sixth of the six perfections, it refers to the profound understanding of the emptiness of all phenomena, the realization of ultimate reality. It is also one of the five powers.

49 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­20
  • 1.­21
  • 1.­22
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­24
  • 1.­25
  • 1.­26
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­29
  • 1.­37
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­49
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­18
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­18
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­9
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­2
  • g.­2
  • g.­38
  • g.­39
  • g.­78
  • g.­95

Links to further resources:

  • 58 related glossary entries
g.­60

Jambudvīpa

  • ’dzam bu’i gling
  • འཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།
  • Jambudvīpa
  • 閻浮提

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

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­46
  • 2.­47
  • 11.­6

Links to further resources:

  • 79 related glossary entries
g.­61

Kalandaka­nivāpa

  • bya ka lan ta ka
  • བྱ་ཀ་ལན་ཏ་ཀ
  • Kalandaka­nivāpa
  • 迦蘭陀

Literally, “The kalandaka Feeding Ground,” a location within the Veṇuvana where the Buddha stayed; it received its name from the many kalandaka that lived or were fed there. The Tibetan rendering bya ka lan da ka makes it clear that the Tibetans considered the kalandaka to be a kind of bird, while Sanskrit and Pali sources generally agree that it is a kind of squirrel‍—perhaps therefore the Indian flying squirrel, Petaurista philippensis.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 1.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 19 related glossary entries
g.­66

Limitless Intelligence

  • tshad med blo gros
  • ཚད་མེད་བློ་གྲོས།
  • —
  • 無量意

A son of King Bringer of Benefit and a bodhisattva in a story told by the Buddha.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­42
  • 2.­45
  • 11.­12
  • g.­69
  • g.­87
g.­70

Lokadhara

  • ’jig rten ’dzin
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན།
  • Lokadhara
  • 持世

A bodhisattva and the main interlocutor of this sūtra.

145 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­4
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­11
  • 1.­12
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­14
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­18
  • 1.­19
  • 1.­20
  • 1.­21
  • 1.­22
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­24
  • 1.­25
  • 1.­26
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­29
  • 1.­30
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­32
  • 1.­33
  • 1.­34
  • 1.­35
  • 1.­36
  • 1.­37
  • 1.­38
  • 1.­39
  • 1.­40
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­44
  • 1.­45
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­9
  • 2.­10
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­14
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­20
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­29
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­31
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­34
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­38
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­40
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­46
  • 2.­47
  • 2.­48
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­2
  • 3.­5
  • 3.­8
  • 3.­11
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­15
  • 3.­16
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­8
  • 4.­9
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­18
  • 5.­19
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­2
  • 6.­7
  • 6.­8
  • 6.­10
  • 6.­11
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­15
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­17
  • 7.­1
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­6
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­8
  • 8.­1
  • 8.­2
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­6
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­8
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­10
  • 8.­11
  • 8.­12
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­3
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­5
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­10
  • 11.­11
  • 11.­12
  • 12.­1
  • 12.­2
  • 12.­3
  • 12.­4
  • 12.­5
  • n.­77

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­72

Maitreya

  • byams pa
  • བྱམས་པ།
  • Maitreya
  • 彌勒

The future buddha.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 11.­19

Links to further resources:

  • 83 related glossary entries
g.­73

Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River

  • ’dzam bu chu klung gi gser gyi ri rab ri’i rgyal po
  • འཛམ་བུ་ཆུ་ཀླུང་གི་གསེར་གྱི་རི་རབ་རིའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • —
  • 閻浮檀金須彌山王

A buddha from the past.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­2
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • g.­85
g.­75

Motivation

  • lhag pa’i bsam pa
  • ལྷག་པའི་བསམ་པ།
  • adhyāśaya
  • 深心

See “pure motivation.”

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­32
  • g.­94

Links to further resources:

  • 10 related glossary entries
g.­78

Obscuration

  • sgrib pa
  • སྒྲིབ་པ།
  • nīvaraṇa
  • 蓋

That which obscurs insight into reality.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­18
  • 1.­32
  • 2.­35
  • 11.­6
  • 12.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 14 related glossary entries
g.­79

Ornament of Certainty in Any Subject

  • don thams cad gdon mi za ba’i rgyan
  • དོན་ཐམས་ཅད་གདོན་མི་ཟ་བའི་རྒྱན།
  • —
  • 一切義決定莊嚴

The buddha that Ratnaprabha becomes.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 11.­5
g.­80

Parinirvāṇa

  • yongs su mya ngan las ’das pa
  • ཡོངས་སུ་མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
  • parinirvāṇa

Nirvāṇa, the state beyond sorrow, denotes the ultimate attainment of buddhahood, the permanent cessation of all suffering and the afflicted mental states which cause and perpetuate suffering, along with all misapprehension with regard to the nature of emptiness. As such, it is the antithesis of cyclic existence. Three types of nirvāṇa are identified: (1) the residual nirvāṇa where the person is still dependent on conditioned psycho-physical aggregates, (2) the non-residual nirvāṇa where the aggregates have also been consumed within emptiness, and (3) the non-abiding nirvāṇa transcending the extremes of phenomenal existence and quiescence. Parinirvāṇa or final nirvāṇa implies the non-residual attainment.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­51
  • 1.­52
  • 1.­53
  • 2.­39
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­16

Links to further resources:

  • 27 related glossary entries
g.­81

Perception

  • ’du shes
  • འདུ་ཤེས།
  • saṃjñā

The third of the five aggregates.

47 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­5
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­12
  • 2.­13
  • 2.­15
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­33
  • 2.­34
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­9
  • 3.­10
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­16
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­4
  • 4.­6
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­5
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­14
  • 6.­5
  • 6.­9
  • 6.­11
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­15
  • 7.­2
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­5
  • 8.­6
  • 9.­2
  • 10.­2
  • g.­35

Links to further resources:

  • 28 related glossary entries
g.­82

Phenomenon

  • chos
  • ཆོས།
  • dharma

One of the meanings of the Skt. term “dharma.” This applies to “phenomena” or “things” in general, and, more specifically, “mental phenomena” which are the object of the mental faculty (manas, yid). See also “worldly phenomena” and “transcendent phenomena.”

112 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­4
  • i.­5
  • 1.­2
  • 1.­3
  • 1.­6
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­8
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­10
  • 1.­11
  • 1.­12
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­19
  • 1.­21
  • 1.­22
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­24
  • 1.­25
  • 1.­26
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­32
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­55
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­58
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­21
  • 2.­24
  • 2.­26
  • 2.­27
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­32
  • 2.­41
  • 2.­48
  • 3.­3
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­7
  • 3.­9
  • 3.­10
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­13
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­15
  • 3.­17
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­2
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­3
  • 5.­4
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­11
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­16
  • 5.­18
  • 5.­19
  • 6.­1
  • 6.­13
  • 6.­14
  • 6.­15
  • 6.­16
  • 6.­17
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­3
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­9
  • 8.­3
  • 8.­4
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­8
  • 8.­9
  • 8.­10
  • 8.­11
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­2
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­1
  • 10.­2
  • 10.­4
  • 10.­5
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­7
  • 11.­8
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­18
  • 12.­2
  • n.­43
  • g.­25
  • g.­29
  • g.­59
  • g.­86
  • g.­90
  • g.­95
  • g.­100
  • g.­104

Links to further resources:

  • 34 related glossary entries
g.­84

Rājagṛha

  • rgyal po’i khab
  • རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
  • Rājagṛha
  • 王舍城

The ancient capital of Magadha; the site where many Great Vehicle sūtras take place.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­2
  • g.­108

Links to further resources:

  • 79 related glossary entries
g.­85

Ratnaprabha

  • rin chen ’od
  • རིན་ཆེན་འོད།
  • Ratnaprabha
  • 寶光

A bodhisattva in Majestic Mount Meru of Gold from the Jambū River’s assembly.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­3
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­5
  • g.­79
g.­87

Royal Array of Boundless Light

  • tshad med ’od kyi bkod pa’i rgyal po
  • ཚད་མེད་འོད་ཀྱི་བཀོད་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • —
  • 無量光莊嚴王

The buddha that the bodhisattva Limitless Intelligence becomes.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 11.­12
g.­88

Royal Light of Limitless Qualities

  • tshad med yon tan ’od kyi rgyal po
  • ཚད་མེད་ཡོན་ཏན་འོད་ཀྱི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • —
  • 無量光徳高王

A buddha from the past.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 11.­10
  • 11.­12
g.­90

Sense source

  • skye mched
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད།
  • āyatana
  • 入

These can be listed as twelve or as six sense sources (sometimes also called sense fields, bases of cognition, or simply āyatanas):

In context of epistemology, it is one way of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources, which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: 1-2) eye and form, 3-4) ear and sound, 5-6) nose and odor, 7-8) tongue and taste, 9-10) body and touch, 11-12) mind and mental phenomena. (These are subsumed in the eighteen elements, where to the twelve sense sources, the six consciousnesses are added.)

In the context of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are mentioned and they are the inner sense sources (similar to the six faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.

16 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­26
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­4
  • 4.­5
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­8
  • 4.­9
  • 9.­2
  • 11.­12
  • g.­93
  • g.­107

Links to further resources:

  • 58 related glossary entries
g.­92

Seven precious substances

  • rin po che sna bdun
  • རིན་པོ་ཆེ་སྣ་བདུན།
  • saptaratna

The list of seven precious materials varies. Either they are: gold, silver, turquoise, coral, pearl, emerald, and sapphire; or else they are: ruby, sapphire, beryl, emerald, diamond, pearls, and coral.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­42
  • 11.­10

Links to further resources:

  • 43 related glossary entries
g.­93

Six sense sources

  • skye mched drug
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད་དྲུག
  • ṣaḍāyatana

See sense source.”

4 passages contain this term:

  • 5.­1
  • 5.­7
  • 5.­8
  • g.­106

Links to further resources:

  • 13 related glossary entries
g.­94

Solitary buddha

  • rang sangs rgyas
  • རང་སངས་རྒྱས།
  • pratyekabuddha

Literally, “buddha for himself,” or “solitary realizer.” Those who attain buddhahood in a time when the Buddha’s doctrine is no longer available in the world, and who remain either in solitude or among peers, without teaching the path to liberation to others. Their attainment is the result of progress in previous lives but, unlike a buddha, they do not have the necessary accumulated merit nor the motivation to teach others.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­30
  • 7.­5
  • 7.­8
  • 11.­18

Links to further resources:

  • 79 related glossary entries
g.­99

Thatness

  • de kho na nyid
  • དེ་ཁོ་ན་ཉིད།
  • tattva

The nature of things or their actual state, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Akin to other terms rendered here as suchness (tathatā, de bzhin nyid), true reality (bhūtatā, yang dag pa nyid), and reality (dharmatā, chos nyid).

6 passages contain this term:

  • 10.­2
  • 10.­5
  • 11.­1
  • g.­86
  • g.­97
  • g.­105

Links to further resources:

  • 6 related glossary entries
g.­102

Thus-gone one

  • de bzhin gshegs pa
  • དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པ།
  • tathāgata

A frequently used synonym for a buddha. The expression is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has arrived at the realization of the ultimate state. Here also used as a specific epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

34 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­4
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­40
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­47
  • 1.­48
  • 1.­49
  • 1.­52
  • 1.­54
  • 1.­55
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­57
  • 1.­58
  • 2.­34
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­42
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­47
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14
  • 3.­15
  • 4.­2
  • 4.­3
  • 4.­5
  • 5.­19
  • 9.­4
  • 10.­4
  • 11.­2
  • 11.­5
  • 11.­10

Links to further resources:

  • 100 related glossary entries
g.­104

Transcendent phenomena

  • ’jig rten las ’das pa’i chos
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་ལས་འདས་པའི་ཆོས།
  • lokottaradharma

Lit. “dharmas beyond the world.” Trancendent or supramundane phenomena are things or factors related to liberation from saṃsāra. These include, for example, the four applications of mindfulness, the four correct exertions, the four foundations of miracles, the five powers, the five strengths, the seven branches of awakening, the eightfold path of the noble ones, the three gateways of liberation, and many other techniques and qualities of attainment. See also “worldly phenomena.”

7 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • 2.­1
  • 9.­3
  • 9.­4
  • g.­82
  • g.­111
  • g.­112

Links to further resources:

  • 2 related glossary entries
g.­105

True reality

  • yang dag pa nyid
  • ཡང་དག་པ་ཉིད།
  • bhūtatā

Lit. “genuineness” or “authenticity.” The quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Akin to other terms rendered here as thatness (tattva, de kho na nyid), suchness (tathatā, de bzhin nyid), and reality (dharmatā, chos nyid).

11 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­55
  • 1.­56
  • 2.­6
  • 3.­18
  • 4.­6
  • 9.­1
  • 11.­4
  • 11.­7
  • g.­86
  • g.­97
  • g.­99

Links to further resources:

  • 1 related glossary entry
g.­106

Twelve links of dependent origination

  • rten cing ’brel te ’byung ba bcu gnyis
  • rten cing ’brel te byung ba bcu gnyis
  • རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་ཏེ་འབྱུང་བ་བཅུ་གཉིས།
  • རྟེན་ཅིང་འབྲེལ་ཏེ་བྱུང་བ་བཅུ་གཉིས།
  • dvādaśāṅgapratītyasamutpāda

The twelve causal links that perpetuate life in cyclic existence; starting with ignorance and ending with death. Through a deliberate reversal of these twelve links that one can succeed in bringing the whole cycle to an end. The twelve links are (1) ignorance, (2) formation, (3) consciousness, (4) name-and-form, (5) six sense sources, (6) contact, (7) feeling, (8) craving, (9) grasping, (10) becoming, (11) birth, (12) aging and death.

17 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • 5.­1
  • 5.­2
  • 5.­12
  • 5.­13
  • 5.­14
  • 5.­15
  • 5.­16
  • 5.­17
  • 5.­18
  • 5.­19
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­9
  • g.­42
  • g.­90

Links to further resources:

  • 10 related glossary entries
g.­107

Twelve sense sources

  • skye mched bcu gnyis
  • སྐྱེ་མཆེད་བཅུ་གཉིས།
  • dvā­daśāyatana

See “sense source.”

12 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • 2.­47
  • 4.­1
  • 4.­6
  • 4.­7
  • 4.­8
  • 4.­9
  • 9.­3
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
  • g.­74

Links to further resources:

  • 5 related glossary entries
g.­108

Veṇuvana

  • ’od ma’i tshal
  • འོད་མའི་ཚལ།
  • Veṇuvana
  • 竹園

The famous bamboo grove near Rājagṛha where the Buddha regularly stayed and gave teachings. It was situated on land donated by King Bimbisāra of Magadha and, as such, was the first of several landholdings donated to the Buddhist community during the time of the Buddha.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­2
  • 1.­46
  • g.­61

Links to further resources:

  • 22 related glossary entries
g.­109

Water of the eight qualities

  • yon tan brgyad kyi chu
  • ཡོན་ཏན་བརྒྱད་ཀྱི་ཆུ།
  • —

The eight qualities of water: (1) sweet-tasting; (2) cool; (3) soft; (4) light; (5) transparent; (6) clean; (7) not harmful to the throat; and (8) beneficial to the stomach.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­42
  • 11.­10
g.­110

Wisdom

  • ye shes
  • ཡེ་ཤེས།
  • jñāna

Also known as “pristine awareness,” “primordial wisdom,” “primordial awareness,” “gnosis,” or the like. Typically refers to nonconceptual or unobscured states of knowledge.

31 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­9
  • 1.­12
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­16
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­30
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­32
  • 1.­33
  • 1.­34
  • 1.­35
  • 1.­36
  • 1.­37
  • 1.­38
  • 1.­39
  • 1.­40
  • 1.­41
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­44
  • 1.­58
  • 2.­30
  • 7.­2
  • 7.­4
  • 7.­5
  • 11.­9
  • 11.­12
  • 11.­18
  • 11.­19
  • 12.­2

Links to further resources:

  • 33 related glossary entries
g.­111

World and transcendence

  • ’jig rten dang ’jig rten las ’das pa
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་དང་འཇིག་རྟེན་ལས་འདས་པ།
  • lokalokottara

See “worldly phenomena” and “transcendent phenomena.”

7 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • 9.­1
  • 9.­3
  • 9.­4
  • 11.­1
  • 11.­3
  • 12.­2
g.­112

Worldly phenomena

  • ’jig rten gyi chos
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཆོས།
  • lokadharma

It refers to things or factors that are bound by causality. In some contexts, it is the eight worldy dharmas or concerns. See also “transcendent phenomena.”

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­18
  • 9.­2
  • 9.­3
  • 9.­4
  • g.­82
  • g.­104
  • g.­111

Links to further resources:

  • 5 related glossary entries
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