• The Collection
  • The Kangyur
  • Discourses
  • General Sūtra Section

This rendering does not include the entire published text

The full text is available to download as pdf at:
https://read.84000.co/data/toh174_84000-the-inquiry-of-lokadhara.pdf

འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན་གྱིས་ཡོངས་སུ་དྲིས་པ།

The Inquiry of Lokadhara
Chapter Seven: The Five Powers

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
84000 logo

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)
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.

Logo for the license

This work is provided under the protection of a Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND (Attribution - Non-commercial - No-derivatives) 3.0 copyright. It may be copied or printed for fair use, but only with full attribution, and not for commercial advantage or personal compensation. For full details, see the Creative Commons license.

Options for downloading this publication

This print version was generated at 7.25pm on Monday, 13th March 2023 from the online version of the text available on that date. If some time has elapsed since then, this version may have been superseded, as most of 84000’s published translations undergo significant updates from time to time. For the latest online version, with bilingual display, interactive glossary entries and notes, and a variety of further download options, please see
https://read.84000.co/translation/toh174.html.


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

7.­3

“Lokadhara, how do bodhisattva great beings accurately contemplate the power of diligence? How do they effortlessly accomplish the power of diligence? How do they become highly skilled in the power of diligence? [F.60.a] Bodhisattva great beings practice diligence endlessly. They practice diligence without any interruption, in order to dispel the five obscurations. They practice diligence in order to hear the profound Dharma in this manner. Bodhisattvas are uninterrupted in their pursuit of the Dharma, never regressing from their diligent pursuits. They are dauntless in their practice of diligence in order to disrupt obscuring phenomena. Furthermore, they practice diligence in order to abandon myriad unwholesome and unvirtuous phenomena, as well as all perishable phenomena. Furthermore, they practice diligence in order to increase and generate myriad virtuous phenomena. Without a doubt, bodhisattvas effortlessly accomplish diligence. However, they do not become attached to it, but rather, engage in diligence with equanimity. By effortlessly accomplishing irreversible diligence, such people will understand and realize all the qualities of proper practice, thereby mastering diligence. By practicing diligence so well, they will not be dependent on others. Through their practice of diligence, they will achieve the light of insight and effortlessly accomplish the characteristic of irreversibility. As they become irreversible in their diligence and practice such extraordinary diligence, they are said to possess the power of diligence.”

The Power of Mindfulness

7.­4

“Lokadhara, how do bodhisattva great beings attain the power of mindfulness, and how do they practice the power of mindfulness? Bodhisattva great beings focus one-pointedly on mindfulness, engage in generosity, are gentle, observe pure conduct perfectly, and guard the branch of pure discipline. They carefully guard the branch of absorption, the branch of insight, the branch of liberation, and the branch of teaching the wisdom of liberation.

7.­5

“They constantly consider and bring to mind62 the actions of body, speech, and mind. They constantly consider and bring to mind the topics of perfection. [F.60.b] They consider and bring to mind the methods related to the characteristics of all phenomena as arising, ceasing, remaining, and transferring. They see the truths of suffering, origination, cessation, and the path. They consider and bring to mind what is to be understood. They consider and bring to mind the powers, strengths, factors of awakening, paths, absorptions, liberations, and the practices of the attainments. They consider and bring to mind the characteristics of all phenomena as being unborn, unceasing, unconditioned, unarisen, and inexpressible. They constantly consider and bring to mind the attainment of the insight into the unborn. They consider and bring to mind the wish to attain the perfect wisdoms of acceptance, abandonment, and cessation. They consider and bring to mind the wish to attain all the perfect qualities of buddhahood. They consider and bring to mind how to avoid letting the qualities of the hearers or solitary buddhas influence their minds. They constantly consider and bring to mind the mindfulness of unimpeded wisdom. Given such accurate considerations, they come to know the phenomena of the body. Thereby their mindfulness never declines or regresses from that. Due to these contemplations, they become independent from others. As this occurs, such people attain a superior mindfulness that is meaningful in these ways. Thus, they are said to possess the power of mindfulness.”

The Power of Absorption

7.­6

“Lokadhara, how do bodhisattva great beings attain the power of absorption, and how do they attain the practices of absorption? When bodhisattva great beings dwell on the level of the noble ones, even though they practice absorption, they never dwell in absorption or become attached to absorption. By thoroughly engaging in the characteristics of absorption‍—and by thoroughly attaining the practices of absorption, thoroughly generating the absorptions, and practicing absorption that is without observation‍— [F.61.a] they become skilled in the gateways of all absorptions, skilled in entering absorption, skilled in abiding in absorption, skilled in leaving absorption, skilled in not resting in absorption, skilled in the characteristics of observation, and skilled in observing the characteristics of suchness. Because they are skilled in the experience of all absorptions and have power over absorption, they are not dependent on others, and they do not fall under the power of absorption. Rather, they gain power and strength from absorption. Among absorptions, there are none that are difficult or deficient; they are accomplished precisely according to their wishes.63 People with such extraordinary absorptions are said to have attained the power of absorption and the practice of the power of absorption.”

The Power of Insight

7.­7

“Lokadhara, how do bodhisattva great beings attain the power of insight, and how do they practice the power of insight? Bodhisattva great beings who understand and realize the power of insight will correctly quell all suffering. Since such people understand and realize the locus and activity of insight, they disengage from concepts and abandon concepts, whereby they will perfect the insight that leads to nirvāṇa. By effortlessly accomplishing the power of insight, they understand the three realms to be entirely ablaze. With insight into the fact that the three realms are all suffering, they do not abide in the three realms. By realizing the three realms to be emptiness, without marks, without wishes, unborn, unconditioned, unarisen, beyond the way of conditioned phenomena, and endowed with the perfect qualities of buddhahood‍—they will engage diligently as if their hair were on fire. [F.61.b] The insight of these bodhisattvas is indestructible. By mastering such insight, they transcend the three realms and do not abide in the existence of the three realms. They eliminate all conditioned phenomena and do not abide in any phenomena of attachment and bondage. They become weary of the five objects of desire and avoid both the form and formless realms. Thereby they possess extraordinary insight and immeasurable qualities like a vast ocean. Through such insight, they will be free of any impediment in their skillful use of all phenomena. While such beings use this insight to understand and comprehend the three realms in this way, their minds are not attached to the three realms. This extraordinary insight is the attainment of the power of insight and the practice of insight.”


7.­8

“Lokadhara, why are these called powers? They are called powers64 because they are supreme. They are called powers because they are unwavering. They are called powers because they are indestructible. They are called powers because they are irreversible. They are called powers because they do not depend on others. They are called powers because they cannot be taken away. They are called powers because they pursue genuine qualities. They are called powers because they are unobstructed. They are called powers because they cannot be lost. Moreover, Lokadhara, bodhisattva great beings know well the powers of65 beings and can therefore act skillfully66 when training in the various powers. Bodhisattvas understand the powers of beings who have attachment as well as the powers of beings without attachment. They understand the powers of beings with aversion as well as the powers of beings without aversion. They understand the powers of beings with ignorance as well as the powers of beings without ignorance. They understand the powers of beings who have fallen to the lower realms as well as the powers of beings who have been born in the god or human realms. [F.62.a] They understand the powers of beings who are gentle as well as the powers of beings of the sharpest, middling, and lowest powers. They understand beings with impaired powers as well as beings with unimpaired powers. They understand beings with diligent and lazy powers. They understand those beings who are skilled and those who are not skilled. They understand the powers of beings who have misdeeds, do not have misdeeds, have stains, are immaculate, have aversion, lack aversion, are compliant, are not compliant, and who are impeded, as well as those who are unimpeded. They understand the powers of beings with formations for the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. They understand the powers of beings with thick roots of virtue and with thin roots of virtue. They understand beings’ powers that are determined, undetermined, and aberrantly determined. They understand the powers of beings who are stingy, not stingy, frivolous, serious, deceptive, not deceptive, exhilarated, not exhilarated, aggressive and impatient, gentle and patient, and miserly or generous. They understand beings’ powers of faith, skepticism, respect, disrespect, discipline, impure discipline, patience, laziness, diligence, distraction, settling into absorption, errancy of knowledge, insightfulness, stupidity, genius, pride, humility, [F.62.b] practice of the correct path, practice of the wrong path, carelessness, mindfulness, and intelligence. They understand beings’ powers that are disturbed, withdrawn, impaired, unimpaired, impure, pure, of the lesser vehicle, of the solitary buddhas, of buddhas, of bodhisattvas, and of unsurpassed awakening.

7.­9

“Because these bodhisattvas transcend all such distinct features of the powers and their practices, they are said to be skilled in discerning the distinct features of the powers of beings. Due to their insight, they do not depend on others, and therefore they are said to attain the practices of the powers. Therefore, they are also called those who cannot be taken away by others, those who are indestructible, those who are irreversible, those who attain the strength of application, those who know the powers, those who attain the powers of gods, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans, and nonhumans, those who attain the supreme faculty, those who attain the fearless and unwavering state, those who are perfected, and those who effortlessly accomplish immeasurable qualities. They will swiftly attain power and dominion over all phenomena.” [B4]

7.­10

This was the seventh chapter: “The Five Powers.”


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.


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.­62
Here “bring to mind” translates Tib. dran par byed, which could also be translated “remain mindful of.” The meaning here is that they analyze the nature of such actions in general, rather than observe them unfold in the present.
n.­63
Read according to Stok: ting nge ’dzin las dka’ ba’m chung ba med par ’dod pa bzhin du, and the Chinese: 於諸定中不以爲難不以爲少。隨意所欲。.
n.­64
This term (Tib. dbang po, Skt. indriya) has many uses and connotations, and can refer to the god Indra or someone who is similarly dominant in a particular arena. Thus the word conveys a sense of power and leadership.
n.­65
Tib. kyis read as kyi according to Urga.
n.­66
Tib. mkhas pa’i read as mkhas pas according to Yongle and Kangxi. Parsed according to the Chinese.
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.

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.­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.­12

Asura

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

One of the six classes of sentient beings. The asuras are engendered and dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility and are metaphorically described as being incessantly embroiled in disputes with the gods (deva). They are frequently portrayed in brahmanical mythology as having a disruptive effect on cosmological and social harmony.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­9
  • 12.­5

Links to further resources:

  • 106 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.­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.­23

Desire realm

  • ’dod khams
  • འདོད་ཁམས།
  • kāmadhātu

In Buddhist cosmology, it is our sphere of existence where beings are driven primarily by the urge for sense gratification.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­12
  • 7.­8
  • g.­41
  • g.­43
  • g.­52
  • g.­55
  • g.­56
  • g.­101

Links to further resources:

  • 24 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.­32

Factors of awakening

  • byang chub kyi phyogs kyi chos
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས།
  • bodhipakṣadharma
  • 助菩提法

The set of practices that lead to awakening, traditionally listed as thirty-seven.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­9
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­44
  • 2.­4
  • 7.­5
  • g.­30
  • g.­44
  • g.­47

Links to further resources:

  • 27 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.­37

Five mental obscurations

  • sgrib pa lnga
  • སྒྲིབ་པ་ལྔ།
  • pañcanīvaraṇa
  • 五蓋

Longing for desires (kāmacchanda), malice (vyāpāda), sloth and torpor (styānamiddha), excitement and remorse (auddhatyakaukṛtya), and doubt (vicikitsā).

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­18
  • 1.­28
  • 1.­42
  • 7.­3

Links to further resources:

  • 10 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.­41

Form realm

  • gzugs khams
  • གཟུགས་ཁམས།
  • rūpadhātu

In Buddhist cosmology, the sphere of existence one level more subtle than our own (the desire realm), where beings, though subtly embodied, are not driven primarily by the urge for sense gratification.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 3.­12
  • 7.­8
  • g.­45
  • g.­52
  • g.­101

Links to further resources:

  • 20 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.­43

Formless realm

  • gzugs med khams
  • གཟུགས་མེད་ཁམས།
  • ārūpyadhātu

In Buddhist cosmology, the sphere of existence two levels more subtle than our own (the desire realm), where beings are no longer physically embodied, and thus not subject to the sufferings that physical embodiment brings.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­30
  • 3.­12
  • 7.­7
  • 7.­8
  • g.­52
  • g.­101

Links to further resources:

  • 18 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.­50

Gandharva

  • dri za
  • དྲི་ཟ།
  • gandharva

A class of spirits, sometimes described as celestial musicians. In other contexts the term can also refer to beings in the bardo-state.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­9

Links to further resources:

  • 114 related glossary entries
g.­51

Garuḍa

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

Lower class of divine being, described as an eagle-type bird with a gigantic wingspan. They were traditionally enemies of the nāgas. In the Vedas, they were thought to have brought nectar from the heavens to earth.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­9

Links to further resources:

  • 79 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.­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.­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.­65

Kinnara

  • mi’am ci
  • མིའམ་ཅི།
  • kinnara

A class of semidivine beings known for their musical skills, depicted as half horse and half human, or half bird and half human.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­9

Links to further resources:

  • 79 related glossary entries
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.­71

Mahoraga

  • lto ’phye chen po
  • ལྟོ་འཕྱེ་ཆེན་པོ།
  • mahoraga

Literally “large serpent.” A subterranean semi-divine being that takes the form of a large serpent, sometimes with a human torso and head.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­9

Links to further resources:

  • 71 related glossary entries
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.­76

Nāga

  • klu
  • ཀླུ།
  • nāga

A semidivine class of beings who live in subterranean acquatic environments and who are known to hoard wealth and esoteric teachings. They are associated with snakes and serpents.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 7.­9
  • g.­51

Links to further resources:

  • 91 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.­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.­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.­97

Suchness

  • de bzhin nyid
  • དེ་བཞིན་ཉིད།
  • tathatā

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), true reality (bhūtatā, yang dag pa nyid), and reality (dharmatā, chos nyid).

5 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­56
  • 7.­6
  • g.­86
  • g.­99
  • g.­105

Links to further resources:

  • 26 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.­101

Three realms

  • khams gsum
  • ཁམས་གསུམ།
  • tridhātu
  • triloka
  • 三性
  • 三界

The formless realm, the form realm, and the desire realm comprising the thirty-one planes of existence in Buddhist cosmology.

9 passages contain this term:

  • 2.­26
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­6
  • 3.­12
  • 3.­14
  • 5.­18
  • 7.­7
  • 8.­7
  • 8.­11
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.­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
g.­113

Yakṣa

  • gnod sbyin
  • གནོད་སྦྱིན།
  • yakṣa

A class of semidivine beings said to dwell in the north, under the jurisdiction of the Great King Vaiśravaṇa, otherwise known as Kubera.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 7.­9

Links to further resources:

  • 97 related glossary entries
0

    Table of Contents


    Search this text


    Other ways to read

    Download PDF
    Download EPUB
    Download AZW3 (Kindle)
    Open in the 84000 App

    Spotted a mistake?

    Please use the contact form provided to suggest a correction.


    How to cite this text

    The following is an example of how to correctly cite this publication. Links to specific passages can be derived by right-clicking on the milestones markers in the left-hand margin (e.g. s.1). The copied link address can replace the url below.

    Dharmachakra Translation Committee (tr.). The Inquiry of Lokadhara (Lokadharaparipṛcchā, Toh 174). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021:
    https://read.84000.co/translation/toh174.html?part=UT22084-060-003-chapter-7


    Other links

    84000 Homepage
    Reading Room Lobby
    Published Translations
    Search the Reading Room
    Sponsor Translation

    Bookmarks

    Copyright © 2011-2022 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha - All Rights Reserved
    • Website: https://84000.co
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy