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འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན་གྱིས་ཡོངས་སུ་དྲིས་པ།

The Inquiry of Lokadhara
Notes

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

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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co.

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.

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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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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 phenomena 42 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]

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

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

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

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.

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.9

Translated based on the Chinese: 若邪見者則爲妄見。是人不名爲眞見。. Degé reads: gang log par mthong ba de ni yang dag pa ma yin pa mthong ba ste gang zag de ni yang dag pa nyid mthong ba zhes bya’o.

n.10

Translated based on the Chinese: 夢中色相無有決定。但以憶想故有。色陰相亦如是。從先世業因縁出。無有決定性。. Degé reads: ri dang / chu dang / nags tshal la sogs par mthong ste / de ltar rmi lam gyis gzugs kyi mtshan ma de la nges par chad pa med de rnam par brtags pa’i ’du shes las gzugs kyi phung po’i mtshan mar skyed pa yang de bzhin te / sngon gyi las kyi rgyu dang rkyen las skyes te nges pa’i rang bzhin can ma yin no.

n.11

Translated based on the Chinese: 是菩薩爾時不滅色亦不求滅色法。. Degé reads: de ltar byang chub sems dpa’ de’i tshe gzugs mi ’gag gzugs ’gags pa’i chos tshol lo.

n.12

Here “the five classes of beings” translates the Tibetan lam rgyud lnga. R. A. Stein (2010) suggests that lam rgyud lnga, or lam lnga, is a Tibetan rendering of the Chinese 五道. In fact, lam rgyud lnga appears almost exclusively in texts that are openly avowed to be translations from Chinese. This is perhaps the most compelling evidence to suggest a Chinese source text.

n.13

Translated based on the Chinese: 亦不分別想陰滅。但爲滅一切想受陰故。亦住如實知見故。. Degé reads: ’du shes kyi phung po dgag par rnam par mi rtog pa ni ’du shes kyi tshor ba thams cad dgag pa’i phyir yang dag pa ji lta ba bzhin shes shing mthong la gnas na’i phyir ro.

n.14

Translated based on Stok, which includes …mi gnas par. This accords with the Chinese.

n.15

“Mind, mentality, and consciousness” here respectively translate sems (Skt. citta), yid (Skt. manas), and rnam par shes pa (Skt. vijñāna).

n.16

Translation of this sentence is tentative. This interpretive rendering is based on a comparison of the Tibetan and the Chinese. The Chinese reads: 分別虚妄事故。以一相故。以決定相故。能得是心是意是識。能得分別愛著。. Degé reads: rnam par rtog pa’i yang dag pa ma yin pa’i dngos po’i phyir / mtshan nyid gcig pa’i phyir / nges pa’i mtshan nyid gcig pa’i phyir sems de dang / yid dang / rnam par shes pa de thob cing chags pa rnam par ’byed pa la mkhas pa thob par ’gyur ro. Interestingly, the Chinese 分別 maps throughout the translation to both the Tibetan rnam par ’byed pa and rnam par rtog pa; and according to the online Digital Dictionary of Buddhism (www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/), it is a possible translation of both the Sanskrit vibhaj and cognates like vibhāga, as well as vikalpa/saṃkalpa or even just kalpa. 能, for its part, typically lends an “agential” sense to its attached verb in the Chinese, so it could remain untranslated in Tibetan, but it can also be a translation of the Sanskrit terms kuśala, paṇḍita, and pravīṇa, all of which mkhas pa also renders. Perhaps this is a translation error from Chinese to Tibetan, possibly with an extra scribal “correction” added later due to misunderstanding, which would account for why the “childish ordinary people” would “attain skill in discerning attachment,” a concept that hardly makes sense in this context.

n.17

Read according to Stok: ma skyes. Also, the Chinese reads: 不生。.

n.18

Tibetan: ’khrul ’khor gyi mi; Chinese: 機關木人。. This Tibetan term appears only in Kangyur texts that were translated from Chinese.

n.19

Translated according to the Chinese (壞) and other Tibetan variants instead of Degé, which reads: ’jog.

n.20

Translated according to the Stok, which reads: gzugs med pa’i khams kyi lha’i nye bar len, and the Chinese, which also includes the word for “gods/devas” 諸天. Degé reads: gzugs med pa’i khams kyi nye bar len.

n.21

Translation informed by the Chinese: …故。諸佛如來作如是分別説。. Degé does not show this sentence as explicitly introducing the following paragraph. A variant reading in the Chinese is missing 説. It reads, “the thus-gone buddhas analyzed as follows.”

n.22

Tib. srid read as sred according to Stok and the Chinese.

n.23

Translated from the Chinese: 從顛倒無明闇冥起。.

n.24

Tentative translation. The Tibetan reads: nges par gcad pa (Skt. nirlūna). The Chinese reads 決定說五陰相, “speak/teach with certainty about the marks of the five aggregates,” or “speak about the marks of five aggregates as real.” Given the parallelism with the phrase below, which reads in Tibetan nges par/nges pa’i ’chad pa, and thus closely reflects the Chinese, the Tibetan nges par gcad pa is most likely a corruption of the former.

n.25

Translation tentative. Tibetan: nges pa’i ’chad pa; Chinese: 決定說.

n.26

Tib. sman pa read as smon pa according to Urga edition of the Kangyur, which accords with the Chinese: 所願.

n.27

This accords also with the Chinese: 若坐若經行.

n.28

Read according to Stok: dmigs su med and the Chinese: 不可得。.

n.29

Interestingly, the Chinese here reads: 不合不散, “neither gathered nor separated.”

n.30

Read according to the Chinese: 識所行處是眼識性。是識無決定故。説無決定相。無生故。示虚妄故。能分別色相故。能示縁故。.

n.31

This introductory phrase is supplied by the Chinese: 説是十八性…。.

n.32

Translated in part according to the Chinese 離意性則無意。意性不能知意。假名字故説爲意性。. Degé reads: yid kyi khams las gud na yid dang yid kyi khams zhes ba ba med / yid du mi shes kyang bla dags su yid kyi khams zhes btags so.

n.33

According to Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok: …rang bzhin med pas rang bzhin nyid. This also reflects the Chinese: 法性無自性。自性不可得。. Degé reads: …rang bzhin nyid dmigs su med de.

n.34

Reading informed by the Chinese: 但令衆生知見善不善法。以法性説離一切法相。.

n.35

Read according to the Chinese: 聖人求之不可得。.

n.36

Read according to the Chinese: 意識不知意性。意性不知意識。.

n.37

Both “element” and “realm” here translate the same term (Skt. dhātu; Tib. khams), albeit used in different contexts.

n.38

The eye and form.

n.39

Sentence parsed according to the Chinese: 如來説是諸入知見相。.

n.40

Read according to Stok, Yongle, Kangxi, Choné, and the Chinese.

n.41

Read according to the Chinese: 如來如實通達故示是諸入。.

n.42

The Chinese reads 行, “formations” here.

n.43

The Chinese here reads “that all phenomena do not exist”: 一切法無所有。.

n.44

Read according to the Chinese: 是六入因名色起。.

n.45

Read according to the Chinese: 亦不離受有愛。.

n.46

Here the Tibetan text includes a negation (Tib. ma), which we have not translated based on the previous occurrences of this sentence in which the negation is absent.

n.47

Read according to the Chinese (老死憂悲苦惱亦不依生) and Stok (...skye ba la mi gnas).

n.48

Read according to the Chinese: 作者受者。.

n.49

Read according to Stok: chos zhes bya ba med na and Chinese, which analogously reads: 若法無者。.

n.50

Glossed with the help of the Chinese: 不得自在不得隨意。作是不作是。. Degé reads: gzhan ma yin / dbang med pa / ’dir rang nyams byar med pa / byas pa’o nyam du sems so.

n.51

Read according to Stok: mi ’gyur ba’i mtshan nyid med pa, and the Chinese: 無不變異相。.

n.52

Read according to Stok: mi ’gyur ba med pa, and the Chinese: 無不變異相。.

n.53

Here the Chinese reads: 空拳, “empty fist.”

n.54

Reading med pa according to Yongle and Kangxi. Degé and other editions read mang po.

n.55

Parsed according to the Chinese: 作是念諸受空性空故。.

n.56

Read according to the Chinese: 念念生滅相續不斷故. Degé: skad cig skad cig gis sky zhing ’gog pa gcig gis bsags pa rgyun mi ’chad pas sems zhes bya ste.

n.57

Read according to the Chinese: 客塵煩惱染故有分別。. Degé: blo bur gyi nyon mongs pas kun nas nyon mongs pa rnam par rtog kyang.

n.58

Read according to the Chinese: 菩薩見知心清淨相。亦知衆生心清淨相。作是念。心垢故衆生垢。心淨故衆生淨。. Degé: byang chub sems dpa’ rnams bdag gi sems rnam par dag pa nyid du shes shing mthong bas sems can dag gi sems kyang rnam par dag par shes te snyam du sems so / sems dri ma yod pas na / sems rnam par dag pas na sems can yang rnam par dag pa’o.

n.59

Read according to the Chinese: 所謂是諸法屬是人。諸法本體於諸法中無諸法。. Degé: ’di lta ste / chos thams cad gang zag dbang po zhes bya ba dang chos kyi ngo bo nyid ces bya ba ni chos thams cad chos zhes ba med de.

n.60

Read according to the Chinese: 見一切法盡滅相寂滅相。. Degé: des chos thams cad kyi mi ’gog pa zad pa’i mtshan nyid dang rab tu zhi ba’i mtshan nyid kyang mthong ngo. As such, the Tibetan translation splits 盡滅 into ’gog pa and zad pa, though curiously it includes a negative mi prefix before the two, which clearly contrasts with the Chinese 盡滅相. Also, 盡滅 need not be split, since these two characters taken together in compound can also often mean “extinguished.”

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.67

Read according to the Chinese: 云何名爲正見。一切法寂滅。念相不生不滅同於涅槃。. Degé: de la ji ltar na yang dag par lta bas chos thams cad rab tu zhi ba dang / rang bzhin gyis mi skye mi ’gog cing mya ngan las ’das pa dang ’thun pa gang zhe na.

n.68

Read according to the Chinese: 如是亦不念不分別是一切法。不念不分別不現在前。. Degé: ’di ltar mi rtog pa dang / rnam par mi rtog pa’i chos thams cad la mi rtog rnam par mi rtog mngon sum du byed ma yang ma yin.

n.69

Alternately, Stok would read: “The cessation of thought is no thought,” (rnam par rtog pa bcad pa ni rnam par mi rtog pa’o), and the Chinese would read: “The cessation of thought is right thought” (斷分別是正分別。).

n.70

Reading ’tsho according to Yongle and Kangxi. Degé and other versions read tshor.

n.71

For example, according to monastic regulations, monks are permitted thirteen articles of livelihood, which include their robes and basic necessities like a washing rag, razor, and sitting mat.

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.74

The three characteristics are arising, remaining, and ceasing.

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.

n.78

Tib. zhing omitted according to Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, and Choné.

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.

Glossary

g.1

Absorption

ting nge ’dzin

ཏིང་ངེ་འཛིན།

samādhi

g.2

Acceptance

bzod pa

བཟོད་པ།

kṣānti

g.3

Aggregate

phung po

ཕུང་པོ།

skandha

g.7

Applications of mindfulness

dran pa nye bar bzhag pa

དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ།

smṛtyupasthāna

念處

g.9

Appropriation

nye bar len pa
len pa

ཉེ་བར་ལེན་པ།
ལེན་པ།

upādāna

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.”

g.20

Conditioned

’dus byas

འདུས་བྱས།

saṃskṛta

g.21

Consciousness

rnam par shes pa

རྣམ་པར་ཤེས་པ།

vijñāna

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.

g.27

Dharma gateway

chos kyi sgo

ཆོས་ཀྱི་སྒོ།

dharmamukha

法門

g.29

Eighteen elements

khams bco brgyad

ཁམས་བཅོ་བརྒྱད།

aṣṭadaśadhātu

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

g.31

Element

khams

ཁམས།

dhātu

g.33

Feeling

tshor ba

ཚོར་བ།

vedanā

g.34

Five aggregates

phung po lnga

ཕུང་པོ་ལྔ།

pañcaskandha

g.38

Five powers

dbang po lnga

དབང་པོ་ལྔ།

pañcendriya

五根

g.40

Form

gzugs

གཟུགས།

rūpa

g.42

Formation

’du byed

འདུ་བྱེད།

saṃskāra

g.44

Four applications of mindfulness

dran pa nye bar bzhag pa bzhi

དྲན་པ་ཉེ་བར་བཞག་པ་བཞི།

catuhsmṛtyupasthāna

四念處

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

g.59

Insight

shes rab

ཤེས་རབ།

prajñā

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.

g.70

Lokadhara

’jig rten ’dzin

འཇིག་རྟེན་འཛིན།

Lokadhara

持世

g.75

Motivation

lhag pa’i bsam pa

ལྷག་པའི་བསམ་པ།

adhyāśaya

深心

g.81

Perception

’du shes

འདུ་ཤེས།

saṃjñā

g.82

Phenomenon

chos

ཆོས།

dharma

g.84

Rājagṛha

rgyal po’i khab

རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།

Rājagṛha

王舍城

g.90

Sense source

skye mched

སྐྱེ་མཆེད།

āyatana

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.

g.93

Six sense sources

skye mched drug

སྐྱེ་མཆེད་དྲུག

ṣaḍāyatana

g.99

Thatness

de kho na nyid

དེ་ཁོ་ན་ཉིད།

tattva

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.”

g.105

True reality

yang dag pa nyid

ཡང་དག་པ་ཉིད།

bhūtatā

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.

g.107

Twelve sense sources

skye mched bcu gnyis

སྐྱེ་མཆེད་བཅུ་གཉིས།

dvādaśāyatana

g.108

Veṇuvana

’od ma’i tshal

འོད་མའི་ཚལ།

Veṇuvana

竹園

g.110

Wisdom

ye shes

ཡེ་ཤེས།

jñāna

g.111

World and transcendence

’jig rten dang ’jig rten las ’das pa

འཇིག་རྟེན་དང་འཇིག་རྟེན་ལས་འདས་པ།

lokalokottara

g.112

Worldly phenomena

’jig rten gyi chos

འཇིག་རྟེན་གྱི་ཆོས།

lokadharma

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The Inquiry of Lokadhara Notes

Toh 174

The Inquiry of Lokadhara
Notes