• 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/toh232_84000-the-great-cloud-1-.pdf

སྤྲིན་ཆེན་པོ།

The Great Cloud (1)
Chapter 37

Mahāmegha
འཕགས་པ་སྤྲིན་ཆེན་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ།
’phags pa sprin chen po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “The Great Cloud”
Ārya­mahāmegha­nāma­mahāyāna­sūtra
84000 logo

Toh 232

Degé Kangyur, vol. 64 (mdo sde, wa), folios 113.a–214.b

Translated by the Mahamegha Translation Team
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha

First published 2022
Current version v 1.1.11 (2023)
Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.18.4.1

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) 4.0 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 3.07am on Tuesday, 16th May 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 If some time has elapsed since then, this version may have been superseded, as most of 84000’s published translations undergo significant updates from time to time.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/toh232.html.


co.

Table of Contents

ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
tr. The Translation
+ 38 chapters- 38 chapters
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
14. Chapter 14
15. Chapter 15
16. Chapter 16
17. Chapter 17
18. Chapter 18
19. Chapter 19
20. Chapter 20
21. Chapter 21
22. Chapter 22
23. Chapter 23
24. Chapter 24
25. Chapter 25
26. Chapter 26
27. Chapter 27
28. Chapter 28
29. Chapter 29
30. Chapter 30
31. Chapter 31
32. Chapter 32
33. Chapter 33
34. Chapter 34
35. Chapter 35
36. Chapter 36
37. Chapter 37
38. Chapter 38
c. Colophon
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
g. Glossary

s.

Summary

s.­1

The Great Cloud features a long dialogue between the Buddha Śākyamuni and a bodhisattva named Great Cloud Essence, who are periodically joined by various additional interlocutors from the vast audience of human and divine beings who have assembled to hear the Buddha’s teaching. The topics of their conversation are diverse and wide-ranging, but a central theme is the vast conduct of bodhisattvas, which is illustrated through the enumeration of the various meditative states and liberative techniques that bodhisattvas must master in order to minister to all sentient beings. This is followed by a conversation with the brahmin Kauṇḍinya concerning the Buddha’s cousin Devadatta, who is revealed to be a bodhisattva displaying the highest level of skillful means. Kauṇḍinya then inquires about the possibility of obtaining a relic from the Buddha, and another member of the audience responds with an explanation of how truly rare it is for a buddha relic to appear within the world. Finally, the discourse ends with the Buddha delivering a series of detailed prophecies describing the principal interlocutor’s future attainment of buddhahood, and he further explains the benefits and powers that can be obtained through the practice of this sūtra itself.


ac.

Acknowledgements

ac.­1

This translation was produced by Joshua Capitanio for the Mahamegha Translation Team. The translator is grateful to Christopher Jones (University of Cambridge) and Susan Roach for offering several helpful suggestions.

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


The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of an anonymous donor, who would like to dedicate it in memory of Lin, Zai-He and Lin Lee, Wan-Zhi.


i.

Introduction

i.­1

The Great Cloud is an important Mahāyāna sūtra, known particularly as one source of the idea that a tathāgata is permanent and does not really pass into parinirvāṇa, but strategically displays an illusory body. To exemplify religious attainment for sentient beings, this emanated body seems to take birth, strive for awakening, and eventually pass into parinirvāṇa.1 In this sūtra this view is not merely implied or stated without comment, as it is in many sūtras, but is set out along with the claim that orthodox Buddhist doctrines of impermanence and selflessness are merely provisional teachings imparted by the Buddha for the sake of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas who were too trepidatious and spiritually immature to accept the realities of permanence and true selfhood.


The Translation
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra
The Great Cloud

1.

Chapter 1

[B1] [F.113.a]


Homage to all buddhas, bodhisattvas, exalted śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas.


1.­1

Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavān was residing on Vulture Peak in Rājagṛha with an assembly of nine million eight hundred thousand bhikṣus including Mahākāśyapa. All of them were worthy ones who had exhausted their defilements, had attained mastery, and were free from afflictions. They were omniscient ones, great elephants, their minds perfectly liberated, their wisdom perfectly liberated, who had accomplished their tasks and completed their work. They had cast off their burdens and fulfilled their aims. Their minds had been emancipated through correct cognition, and they had thoroughly exhausted all the fetters binding them to existence. They possessed very pure discipline and had obtained supreme perfection in mastering all mental states. They were proficient in the superknowledges. Together, they were all absorbed in meditation on the eight liberations.


2.

Chapter 2

2.­1

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva Great Cloud Essence said to the Bhagavān, “Ah, these statements of the sacred Dharma teaching of The Great Cloud, spoken by the Tathāgata, are truly a wondrous marvel! Ah, Bhagavān! The domain of this Great Cloud discourse is inconceivable, and the magical manifestation of its miraculous power has appeared right in front of all sentient beings. [F.142.a] When this Great Cloud discourse was expounded, a mass of great clouds arose from its nectar-like reverberations, showering down a great, vast rainfall of nectar filled with all sorts of precious substances and elixirs. Ah! The Tathāgata, who is inconceivable, has excellently uttered this discourse of the inconceivable domain. Ah! All sentient beings have certainly cultivated merit. Ah! The fruition of this merit is inconceivable! Sentient beings are relishing the enjoyment and delights of divine bliss. Today, all sentient beings frolic together with the gods.


3.

Chapter 3

3.­1

Then, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Great Cloud Essence addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Those outsiders who have turned away from these great Vaipulya teachings have become as though deaf; in order to make them whole with the ear faculties of the Great Vehicle, I beseech the Bhagavān to give an extensive explanation of those previously mentioned thirty-six Dharma gateways of dhāraṇī called directly entering the jewel mine of the infinite gnosis of irreversibility.”


4.

Chapter 4

4.­1

Great Cloud Essence then said, “In order to tame the minds of unawakened and foolish sentient beings, I beseech you to shine the subtle light rays of the lamp of understanding the concealed intent of the Bhagavān Tathāgata’s speech upon all those who have entered great darkness.”

4.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “Great Cloud Essence, you must broadly ignite the twenty-three liberation gateways of the continuous flow of skillful methods of Dharma for those who are ignorant of how to enter into the fundamental divisions of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech.


5.

Chapter 5

5.­1

Great Cloud Essence then said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to give an extensive explanation of the ten Dharma gateways called king of the wondrous secret of the way to engage and abide in the playful appearance of taking birth in cyclic existence.”

5.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “Great Cloud Essence, within this Great Cloud discourse, there is the Dharma gateway called king of utter delight at being born within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called desiring and delighting in birth within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called thirsting for birth within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called beginningless birth within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called utmost faith in birth within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called skill in the aspiration to be born within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called singing the praises of birth within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called king of observing birth within existence. There is the Dharma gateway called powerful king of skill in birth within existence. And there is the Dharma gateway called king of the wondrous secret of engaging and abiding in the state of not being obscured by the various categories of unwholesome dharmas when born within existence. These ten are the Dharma gateways called king of the wondrous secret of the way to engage and abide in the playful appearance of taking birth in cyclic existence.” [F.160.b]


6.

Chapter 6

6.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called the secret aspiration to liberation, which is taken up by the mind in order to attain the karmic ground of the field of the afflictions of cyclic existence.”

6.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called obtaining the fruit of the field of the afflictions of cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called king of delighting in the field of the afflictions of cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called fixing the mind on the connection with cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called dhāraṇī of supreme delight in cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called migrating within cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called thoroughly raining down upon cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the uninterrupted wind of the continuity of cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called thief of cyclic existence. There is the Dharma gateway called stainless domain of the root of cyclic existence. And there is the Dharma gateway called bringing illumination to all those who abide for a long time in cyclic existence. These ten are the Dharma gateways called the secret aspiration to liberation, which is taken up by the mind in order to attain the karmic ground of the field of the afflictions of cyclic existence.”


7.

Chapter 7

7.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation that apprehends the inconceivable essence of ignorance regarding gnosis.”

7.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called happily engaging in many deeds as antidotes. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the magical manifestation that is unequaled. There is the Dharma gateway called entering the gateway of peerlessly spreading light. There is the Dharma gateway called producing an understanding of the scriptural tradition. There is the Dharma gateway called the thought that terminates.17 There is the Dharma gateway called luminosity of correct speech. There is the Dharma gateway called perception that is superior to water. There is the Dharma gateway called stainless essence. There is the Dharma gateway called light-radiating earth-holder. And there is the Dharma gateway called gateway of exalted luminosity. These ten are the Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation that apprehends the inconceivable essence of ignorance regarding gnosis.”


8.

Chapter 8

8.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called aspects of bringing about the attainment of stable, profound gnosis.”

8.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called reverently engaging in the ten extensive essences. There is the Dharma gateway called guarded by space. There is the Dharma gateway called entering the profound, auspicious time. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in the subtle. There is the Dharma gateway called oceanic immovability. There is the Dharma gateway called radiant light of gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the natural purity of speech. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the stainlessness of incinerating the firewood of the afflictions. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in steadfast intelligence. And there is the Dharma gateway called stainless intelligence. These ten are the Dharma gateways called aspects of bringing about the attainment of stable, profound gnosis.” [F.161.b]


9.

Chapter 9

9.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called storehouse of inconceivable merit of the flowing rain of the great cloud’s essence.”

9.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of delighting in loving-kindness. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of delighting in compassion. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of delighting in joy. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of delighting in equanimity. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of water showered down by the truth. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of the circulation of fish in the ocean. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse replete with the names of the Dharma gateways. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of the path of the king of streams. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of engaging with the scriptural tradition. And there is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of engaging with the precious jewel of the three secret designations. These ten are the Dharma gateways called storehouse of inconceivable merit of the flowing rain of the great cloud’s essence.”


10.

Chapter 10

10.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called path of the aspect of the inconceivable merit of the flowing rain of the great cloud.”

10.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called season of rain. [F.162.a] There is the Dharma gateway called lone king of the precious flow of the net of rain. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the seal of the essence of the veil of rain. There is the Dharma gateway called rain’s cleansing of stains. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the various poison-cleansing waters of the veil of rain. There is the Dharma gateway called pleasing, cooling satisfaction produced by the net of rain. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the domain of the correct perception of various rains. There is the Dharma gateway called coemergence of the correct view of various rains. There is the Dharma gateway called mastery over the field of the aspect of merit of various rains. And there is the Dharma gateway called nāga king who showers down the pleasant, cooling medicinal rain of the veil of rain. These ten are the Dharma gateways called path of the aspect of the inconceivable merit of the flowing rain of the great cloud.”


11.

Chapter 11

11.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation of the mass of great clouds that arises and gathers in space.”

11.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called king of skill in the utter delight that arises from the root. There is the Dharma gateway called constantly expressing the excellent perception of the fundamental nature. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the great perception of the unequaled gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called seal of comprehension. There is the Dharma gateway called king of perfect inexhaustible intelligence. [F.162.b] There is the Dharma gateway called inconceivable abode. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of exertion free from desire. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the utmost certainty of the deep ocean tide. There is the Dharma gateway called delight in the pleasant season. There is the Dharma gateway called space storehouse of the great cloud of the rain of gnosis equal to space. These ten are the Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation of the mass of great clouds that arises and gathers in space.”


12.

Chapter 12

12.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called brilliant lightning of the great cloud. May the Bhagavān, the Tathāgata, make them blaze forth.”

12.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called lightning of the light rays of the precious storehouse. There is the Dharma gateway called lightning in the sky of the brilliance of resolve. There is the Dharma gateway called most protected. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the seasons. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the mind that desires the intellect guarded by glory. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the stainless golden lightning. There is the Dharma gateway called lightning of the brilliant inexhaustible intelligence of the essence of beryl. There is the Dharma gateway called lightning of manifest conviction in the abodes. There is the Dharma gateway called lightning of the constancy of the deep ocean of virtuous qualities. There is the Dharma gateway called lightning that strikes continuously over the land. These ten are the Dharma gateways called brilliant lightning of the great cloud.”


13.

Chapter 13

13.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to shine forth the infinite great light rays of the sun of buddhahood to serve as medicine for all sentient beings and for the sake of their happiness. I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called the aspects of entering the great cloud that flashes with lightning.”

13.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called king of the lightning flash that is as powerful as the wind’s strength. There is the Dharma gateway called extremely sharp gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the clear ascertainment of gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called king of resounding through the power of simultaneous arising. There is the Dharma gateway called king of skill in the fluctuation of ocean waves. There is the Dharma gateway called desiring and completely protecting the Dharma. There is the Dharma gateway called king of skill at connecting with the conquerors through wealth. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the medicine that suppresses poison, the great drum of Dharma. There is the Dharma gateway called producing the endowment of the strengths of the Teacher through exceptional beauty. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the magical manifestation that proclaims the roots of the afflictions, which are like darkness or ice. These ten are the Dharma gateways called the aspects of entering the great cloud that flashes with lightning.”


14.

Chapter 14

14.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called illusory emanation of the lightning of the great cloud.”

14.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called constantly proclaiming. There is the Dharma gateway called constantly guarding the illusory emanation of the lightning of the great cloud. There is the Dharma gateway called constantly joyful. There is the Dharma gateway called constantly wishful. There is the Dharma gateway called playing in fire. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in entering all birthplaces. There is the Dharma gateway called rejoicing in all migrating beings with material gains. There is the Dharma gateway called white swan. There is the Dharma gateway called displaying the king of radiant light. There is the Dharma gateway called threading the vast garland of constant superiority. These ten are the Dharma gateways called illusory emanation of the lightning of the great cloud.”


15.

Chapter 15

15.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called display of the great miraculous lamp.”

15.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called miraculous display for entering the inexhaustible treasury. There is the Dharma gateway called gathering the precious storehouse. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of abiding in inconceivable liberation. There is the Dharma gateway called infinite veneration. There is the Dharma gateway called acquisition of virtue. There is the Dharma gateway called replete with joy. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the aspects of reality. There is the Dharma gateway called unobscured spherical mirror. There is the Dharma gateway called inexhaustible mindfulness. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the pleasure of definitively liberating all sentient beings. [F.164.a] These ten are the Dharma gateways called display of the great miraculous lamp.”


16.

Chapter 16

16.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation for entry into the elaborate exposition of the hail of Dharma.”

16.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called jewel-mine of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called ocean of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the use of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called teaching of the storehouse of the great medicine of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the universality of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the inexhaustible intellect of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called supreme essence of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called king who has obtained the captaincy of the lamp of hail. There is the Dharma gateway called supreme weapon on the side of Dharma. There is the Dharma gateway called time of profound hail. These ten are the Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation of entry into the elaborate exposition of the hail of Dharma.”


17.

Chapter 17

17.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called guarding the storehouse of entry into the vajra gnosis.”

17.­2

The Bhagavān replied, [F.164.b] “There is the Dharma gateway called precious storehouse of play. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the utterly delightful manner. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the magical manifestation of the miraculous manner. There is the Dharma gateway called way of abiding of the swan in flight. There is the Dharma gateway called king of well-adorned space. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the medicine produced from the top of the fruit of the kumbha tree. There is the Dharma gateway called king of engaging the intellect that is like an undisturbed deep ocean. There is the Dharma gateway called king of seasons having the brilliant strength of consummate discipline. There is the Dharma gateway called the noncomprehension of the limit of the inconceivable abode. There is the Dharma gateway called extending through an eon. These ten are the Dharma gateways called guarding the storehouse of entry into the vajra gnosis.”


18.

Chapter 18

18.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation of engaging in inexhaustible enjoyments.”

18.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called entering into the intellect of nectar. There is the Dharma gateway called entering into satisfaction through bliss. There is the Dharma gateway called skilled in being joyful. There is the Dharma gateway called skilled in being beautiful and utterly joyful. There is the Dharma gateway called entering into the taste of the water that is deep and constant. There is the Dharma gateway called king of desiring the bliss of the domain of mind’s intelligence. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the bliss that is inexhaustible and primordially stainless. There is the Dharma gateway called king of being utterly elated and delighted with everything. These ten18 are the Dharma gateways called king of the magical manifestation [F.165.a] that enters into the inexhaustible enjoyments.”


19.

Chapter 19

19.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān, the complete and perfect Buddha, to explain the ten Dharma gateways called entry into the direct demonstration of the aspects of the correct path.”

19.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of subtle proliferation. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of the aspect of constancy. There is the Dharma gateway called precious storehouse of complete victory through courageous strength. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in viewing the abode of all the gods in the eastern direction. There is the Dharma gateway called bringing all scriptural traditions to completion. There is the Dharma gateway called not being obscured by all scriptural traditions. There is the Dharma gateway called utterly delighting in and being elated by all paths. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of abandoning engagement with all negative paths. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the constant tide of the ocean. There is the Dharma gateway called precious storehouse of playing as the definite tide of the ocean. These ten are the Dharma gateways called entry into the manifest demonstration of the aspects of the correct path.”


20.

Chapter 20

20.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called entry into the subtle and profound topics of discourse.”

20.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called all direct and indirect topics of discourse. There is the Dharma gateway called utterly delighting in experiencing all tastes. There is the Dharma gateway called king of playing within all scriptural traditions. There is the Dharma gateway called king of desiring extensiveness. There is the Dharma gateway called king of delighting in extensiveness. There is the Dharma gateway called king of utterly delighting in the body. There is the Dharma gateway called king of delighting in the path of pleasing, joyful conduct. There is the Dharma gateway called king of seasons adorned by the noble ones. There is the Dharma gateway called king of rendering stainless the essence of stains. There is the Dharma gateway called consummate satisfaction through the virtue of the yoga of observation. These ten are the Dharma gateways called entering the subtle and profound topics of discourse.”


21.

Chapter 21

21.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called observation of the lion’s play.”

21.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called stainlessness that is difficult to replicate. There is the Dharma gateway called fragrance of the flowers of the bees and the flies. There is the Dharma gateway called sporting with the intellect of the majestic jewel and being overcome by sleep. There is the Dharma gateway called the supremacy that is difficult to obtain, of the shimmering heap of jewels. [F.166.a] There is the Dharma gateway called king of the waterfall-like play. There is the Dharma gateway called observation of the play of the vast, utterly and completely quaking earth. There is the Dharma gateway called play that is like distinguishing between the palms of the left and right hands. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the play of the tails of the great fishes. There is the Dharma gateway called playing at the teaching that is difficult to obtain and difficult to comprehend. There is the Dharma gateway called observing play and delighting in the aspects of all adornments. These ten are the Dharma gateways called observation of the lion’s play.”


22.

Chapter 22

22.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called discourse on engaging in activities in harmony with the world that accumulate connections for rebirth.”

22.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called entering the king of forever taking rebirth. There is the Dharma gateway called entering tranquility through skillful means. There is the Dharma gateway called correctly applying and upholding the sweet honey of faith. There is the Dharma gateway called entry into the manifest superiority of the lion’s play. There is the Dharma gateway called entering the times of displaying the stages. There is the Dharma gateway called king of skill in entry into stages, the absence of stages, realms, and nonrealms. There is the Dharma gateway called using skillful means to guide those who are rough and difficult to tame. There is the Dharma gateway called entering a body swiftly like an arrow. [F.166.b] There is the Dharma gateway called initiating the attainment of all desirable offerings. There is the Dharma gateway called entry into the skillful means of performing the activities of the lower abodes. These ten are the Dharma gateways called discourse on engaging in activities in harmony with the world that accumulate connections for rebirth.”


23.

Chapter 23

23.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called entering the precious storehouse of play.”

23.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called topknot of the rising sun. There is the Dharma gateway called pride in the vast play of the ancient essence. There is the Dharma gateway called arising of the precious storehouse of virtuous qualities. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in play through the excellent limit of conduct. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in rousing the indestructible strength of initiating the wet season. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the play of the pleasant cooling strength of sandalwood. There is the Dharma gateway called speaking without closing the eyes. There is the Dharma gateway called play replete with the water like the kumuda flower and the moon. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in desire for great emanation bodies and the like. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in exceptional praise. These ten are the Dharma gateways called entering the precious storehouse of play.”


24.

Chapter 24

24.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called engaging in the garuḍa’s great potent strength.”

24.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called king of the magical manifestation that completely overcomes the strength of the nāga king19 Vāsuki. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the display of one’s own strength. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the enjoyment of sound. There is the Dharma gateway called entering the waves. There is the Dharma gateway called causing the rising tide to not be filled with pride. There is the Dharma gateway called entering the time of resounding within the cave of the king of mountains. There is the Dharma gateway called entering the direction of the supreme season of wind. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the ascertainment that reveals faraway objects to the sight. There is the Dharma gateway called play of the snake with fast-acting poison. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in obtaining the excellent strength of precious light-rays. These ten are the Dharma gateways called engaging in the garuḍa’s great potent strength.”


25.

Chapter 25

25.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called king of the manifestation of the proclamation of the time of the great roar.”

25.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the profound way of matchless strength. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of constant discipline. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the radiant light of the strength of discipline. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the excellent bounds of discipline. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the trickle of precious milk. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the trickling flow of merit. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the trickling strength of loving-kindness. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the trickling strength of compassion. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the trickling strength of joy. There is the Dharma gateway called manifestation of the trickling strength of equanimity. These ten are the Dharma gateways called king of the manifestation of the proclamation of the time of the great roar.”


26.

Chapter 26

26.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called engaging in the magical manifestation of the strength of great fearlessness.”

26.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the magical manifestation of the strength of fearlessness in the strong ocean tide. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in the root of fearlessness. There is the Dharma gateway called precious storehouse of skillfulness. There is the Dharma gateway called glorious body of skillfulness. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in the cleanliness of skillfulness. [F.168.a] There is the Dharma gateway called strength of engaging in adornment with the ornament of the brilliance of skillfulness. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the season of skill in all precious substances. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in engaging in the joys of skillfulness. There is the Dharma gateway called endowed with the radiant light of skillfulness. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the luminous aspect of the lightning of skillfulness. These ten are the Dharma gateways called engaging in the magical manifestation of the strength of great fearlessness.”


27.

Chapter 27

27.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called vastness having aspects of an abode.”

27.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called tranquil time of guarding the abode. There is the Dharma gateway called path of the abode of the true essence. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of the essence of the renowned reality of water. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of praising accomplishment. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of the excellent limit of the essence of renown. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of extensive, constant joy. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of strength that arises from the basis. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of the strength of compassion. There is the Dharma gateway called abiding definitively in patience. There is the Dharma gateway called abode of constant purity. These ten are the Dharma gateways called vastness having aspects of an abode.”


28.

Chapter 28

28.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called engaging in the procedures of superior intention.”

28.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called abiding at the excellent limit. There is the Dharma gateway called oceanic seal of knowledge of the rites of the superior intention. There is the Dharma gateway called tide of gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the rites of the superior intention of the miraculous display of the tide of migrating beings. There is the Dharma gateway called play equal to space. There is the Dharma gateway called nonabiding. There is the Dharma gateway called gathering of proliferations. There is the Dharma gateway called king of being worthy of service. There is the Dharma gateway called resolve to delight in generosity. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the superior intention with a happy mind. These ten are the Dharma gateways called engaging in the procedures of superior intention.”


29.

Chapter 29

29.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called manifestation of the strength of the heroic king of the great army.”

29.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called field of the completely victorious hero. There is the Dharma gateway called taking birth after perfecting heroic progress. There is the Dharma gateway called king of skill in perceiving the hero’s play. [F.169.a] There is the Dharma gateway called performing the deeds that perfect the strength of entering into the heroic manner. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of the hero on the battlefield. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of the perfection of strong-heartedness. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of the hero with steadfast gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of the hero in times of laziness. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of brilliant strength. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of the hero’s lightning. There is the Dharma gateway called limbs of the army of the hero’s hail. These ten are the Dharma gateways called manifestation of the strength of the heroic king of the great army.”


30.

Chapter 30

30.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called becoming the king of the magical manifestation of the aspects of excellence.”

30.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called time of the jewel of excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of excellent faith. There is the Dharma gateway called play manifested through the power of the aspect of excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called store of the wealth of excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called body of perfect excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called aspect of certainty in the purity of excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called royal storehouse of the radiant light of the lightning of excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called intellect that is well adorned with the aspects of excellence. These ten are the Dharma gateways called becoming the king of the magical manifestation of the aspects of excellence.”


31.

Chapter 31

31.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called engaging in marshalling the force that reveals the correct concealment associated with play.”

31.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called correct concealment associated with the play of joy. There is the Dharma gateway called correct concealment associated with the play of delight. There is the Dharma gateway called correct concealment associated with the play of supreme delight. There is the Dharma gateway called correct concealment associated with the play of the aspect of entry. There is the Dharma gateway called correct concealment associated with the play of the lion’s roar. There is the Dharma gateway called marshalling the force that reveals the correct concealment associated with the play of conduct. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the strength of revealing the correct concealment associated with the play of loving-kindness. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the strength of revealing the correct concealment associated with the play of compassion. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the strength of revealing the correct concealment associated with the play of joy. There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in the strength of revealing the correct concealment associated with the play of equanimity. These ten are the Dharma gateways called engaging in marshalling the force that reveals the correct concealment associated with play.”


32.

Chapter 32

32.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called the aspects of engaging in procedures for engendering gnosis.”

32.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called craving for sense objects. There is the Dharma gateway called king of adornment. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in causing the diminishment of strength. There is the Dharma gateway called inexhaustible skillful body. There is the Dharma gateway called attachment to play. There is the Dharma gateway called performing the activities of offering and worship. There is the Dharma gateway called practice of delighting in the earth. There is the Dharma gateway called entering into the place of rebirth. There is the Dharma gateway called abiding in the practice of the time of joy. There is the Dharma gateway called abiding in the abode of the scriptural tradition. These ten are the Dharma gateways called the aspects of engaging in procedures for engendering gnosis.”


33.

Chapter 33

33.­1

Great Cloud Essence asked, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called storehouse of the riches of gnosis attained through concentration.”

33.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called accomplishment of the precious skill of the earnest practice of excellence. There is the Dharma gateway called practice of abiding in the mind concentrated on extreme faith in the sacred Dharma. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the time of truth. There is the Dharma gateway called accomplishment of the precious substances of the ocean having the play of correct depth and stability. [F.170.b] There is the Dharma gateway called accomplishment of joy. There is the Dharma gateway called utter accomplishment of the strength of gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called accomplishment of motion. There is the Dharma gateway called accomplishment of the qualities of engaging in desire. There is the Dharma gateway called training the body. There is the Dharma gateway called accomplishment of concentration on knowledge, purity, certainty, ascetic practice, and observing precepts. These ten are the Dharma gateways called storehouse of the riches of gnosis that are attained through concentration.”


34.

Chapter 34

34.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called array of procedures conducive to correctly offering and giving.”

34.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called understanding the rites of restraint. There is the Dharma gateway called observing the precious rites that assist in offering and giving. There is the Dharma gateway called time of guarding purity. There is the Dharma gateway called delighting in purity. There is the Dharma gateway called giving the enjoyments of giving. There is the Dharma gateway called utterly giving one’s eyes. There is the Dharma gateway called revealing and explaining the profound secrets. There is the Dharma gateway called cherishing the profound Dharma. There is the Dharma gateway called abiding in the essence of reality. There is the Dharma gateway called revealing all scriptural traditions. These are the ten Dharma gateways called array of procedures conducive to correctly offering and giving.”


35.

Chapter 35

35.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called full production of the correct seed of the buddhafield.”

35.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called victory of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called shower of jewels from the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called storehouse of merit of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called intellect of the true essence of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called body of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called excellent radiant light of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called radiant light of the lamp of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called king crowned with the inexhaustible intellect of the lightning of the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called purity of abiding in the jewel mine. There is the Dharma gateway called mass of flavors of the fruits from the field of all jewels. These ten are the Dharma gateways called full production of the correct seed of the buddhafield.”


36.

Chapter 36

36.­1

Great Cloud Essence said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the ten Dharma gateways called engaging in the magical manifestation of the king of delighting in the play [F.171.b] of the state of the essence of reality.”

36.­2

The Bhagavān replied, “There is the Dharma gateway called engaging in unwavering joy. There is the Dharma gateway called abiding by the constant root. There is the Dharma gateway called unmoving. There is the Dharma gateway called dwelling in profundity. There is the Dharma gateway called complete liberation of the inconceivable storehouse. There is the Dharma gateway called king of the intellect that has flourished through pleasure. There is the Dharma gateway called strength of the inexhaustible nonabiding intellect. There is the Dharma gateway called culmination of the inconceivable manner. There is the Dharma gateway called culmination of the seal of gnosis. There is the Dharma gateway called king of intellect of all inexhaustible oceans. Great Cloud Essence, these ten are the Dharma gateways called engaging in the magical manifestation of the king of delighting in the play that manifests through the manner of the essence of reality of the tathāgatas and bodhisattvas.”


37.

Chapter 37

37.­1

At that time, a devaputra named Swift Intellect made great offerings to the Bhagavān and went before the Bhagavān, joined his palms, and bowed in homage. He then soared into the air, reaching a height equal to that of seven palm trees, and addressed the Bhagavān:

37.­2
“Bhagavān, how many discourses are there?
How many samādhis are there?
How many avenues of dhāraṇī are there?
How many secrets can be entered?
37.­3
“Bhagavān, how many buddhas abide in the present? [F.172.a]
How many will come in the future?
How many buddhas have existed in the past?
How great is the domain of the Buddha’s activity?
How many world realms are there?
Please speak, O Gautama!
37.­4
“The most supreme among sentient beings,
Gautama, I ask you:
Please give an explanation, chief of two-legged beings,
To serve as medicine for all sentient beings.”
37.­5

Then, through the Buddha’s power, a devaputra named Essence of Inexhaustible Intellect replied to Swift Intellect with these verses:

37.­6
“Excellent, excellent, great brahmin!
For the benefit of all sentient beings,
You have eloquently asked these kingly questions
With a fearlessness that is appropriate.
37.­7
“The answers to your questions will, one by one,
Be openly and thoroughly explained.
Listen carefully, great brahmin,
With an undistracted mind.
37.­8
“The meanings contained in the discourses
Are said to be as numerous
As the grains of sand in the Ganges River;
So has it been revealed in the teachings of Dharma.
37.­9
“Even the names of the cascade of dhāraṇīs,
When analyzed one by one,
Are said to contain many meanings and many questions;
So has it been revealed in the teachings of Dharma.
37.­10
“Even the names of the cascade of samādhis,
When analyzed one by one,
Are said to contain many meanings and many questions;
So has it been revealed in the teachings of Dharma.
37.­11
“If there was a throng of billions upon billions of people,
All of them like Ānanda,
Who became holy persons
In order to fathom just one among the discourses,
37.­12
“And each of the beings of highest birth
Among all those holy persons
Became a supreme being
Capable of living for ten billion years, the long lives of gods,
And if those individual steadfast persons
37.­13
“Collectively had as many tongues
As there are grains of sand in the Ganges River
That were blessed for the sake of learning20 the names of these discourses,
37.­14
“And then, through this method,
Those supreme beings
Trained in learning only the names
Of each of the many discourses,
37.­15
“Then even beings such as these
Who could live for ten billion years
Would be unable to completely recollect
These names, which are like a waterfall.
37.­16
“The discourses of the Bhagavān are inconceivable.
So are the enumerations of samādhis.
The explanations of secrets are inconceivable.
The infinite buddhas are inconceivable.
The Tathāgata is unfathomable. [F.172.b]
The domain of the Buddha’s activity is inconceivable,
Unparalleled, and totally transcendent.
37.­17
“The buddhas of the past are unparalleled.
The buddhas of the present are inconceivable.
The buddhas of the future are inconceivable.
The world realms are inconceivable.
37.­18
“Consider, by analogy, a person who has become a doctor:
Having understood health problems,
That skilled person can diagnose an illness according to its symptoms
And show the proper course of treatment.
37.­19
“Consider, by analogy, a skilled woman who,
Discovering that her son is unwell,
Spreads butter on the tips of her fingers
And inserts them in his mouth to lick.
37.­20
“In this fashion, the bhagavān Buddha,
Having understood the pathologies of the beings to be tamed,
Has shown the topics of the discourses
To be accepted by sentient beings.”
37.­21

At that time, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Great Cloud Essence addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Bhagavān, the Tathāgata, who excellently cares for all sentient beings with great compassion, has explained this Great Cloud discourse, which belongs to the inconceivably inconceivable domain of the tathāgatas. Ah, how wondrous! Bhagavān, I beseech the bhagavān Tathāgata to extensively explain the four hundred samādhi gateways.”

37.­22

The Bhagavān replied, “Great Cloud Essence, excellent, excellent! Great Cloud Essence, it is excellent that you have asked the Tathāgata this question about the domain of the Tathāgata in order to cause those with malevolent minds to attain acceptance, to cause those who are lazy and lack mindfulness to attain perseverance and concentration, and for the sake of all those future sentient beings with little merit. For their sake, you should constantly shower down the rain of this Great Cloud discourse.

37.­23

“Great Cloud Essence, observe the domain of this Great Cloud discourse! In whichever village, hamlet, province, or capital there are monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen who extensively practice, uphold, or teach this Great Cloud discourse, in that place a host of great clouds [F.173.a] will arise in the sky, resounding with thunder; a great rain will fall, even if it is not the proper season, and the whole region and all sentient beings therein will attain the vajra nature. If there are sentient beings who come to hear just three or seven words from this Great Cloud discourse, all the buddhas will rejoice in them‍—how much more will they do so for those sentient beings who extensively analyze this discourse!

37.­24

“Great Cloud Essence, within this Great Cloud discourse there is the samādhi called tide of the deep, constant ocean. All bodhisattva mahāsattvas who realize this samādhi will permanently obtain the awakened qualities of the Tathāgata. They will accumulate learning. They will never backslide from the dharmas of the Tathāgata. They will never backslide from wisdom. They will never backslide from gnosis. They will become intelligent in discerning the Tathāgata’s host of virtuous qualities and his permanent, eternal, constant, tranquil nature. They will never part from listening to the Dharma and venerating the saṅgha. They will exert themselves diligently in the four means of gathering disciples. And they will become endowed with and skilled in all the virtuous qualities previously mentioned. Great Cloud Essence, you should uphold this samādhi called the tide of the deep constant ocean.

37.­25

“Moreover, Great Cloud Essence, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who obtain this samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean, which enters the domain of the tide of the deep, constant ocean, will be able to manifest activities in all the divine abodes. Within the abodes of Brahmā, they will be able to manifest in in the form of Brahmā in order to dispel the views of sentient beings with faith in Brahmā who think, ‘He is worthy of worship,’ and yet they will not be fixated upon that view. Within the abodes of Maheśvara, they will be able to manifest in the form of Maheśvara [F.173.b] in order to dispel the views of sentient beings with faith in Maheśvara, and yet they will not be entrenched in that view. Within the abodes of Kumāra, they will be able to manifest in the form of Kumāra in order to dispel the views of sentient beings with faith in Kumāra, and yet they will not be entrenched in that view. Within the abodes of Kātyāyanīputra, they will be able to manifest in the form of Kātyāyanī in order to reverse the murderous actions of sentient beings who have faith in the evil deeds and inexhaustible lifespan of Kātyāyanīputra, and yet they will not be entrenched in that view. Within the abodes of the bhūtas, they will be able to manifest in the form of a bhūta in order to reverse the evil deeds of sentient beings. Within the abodes of the gods who possess various views, or in places where the view of enjoyment or of belief in auspicious signs is prevalent, they will be able to manifest in the form of one who holds such views, and yet they will not be entrenched in those views. In order to reverse the deeds of meat eaters and butchers, they will display signs of obstacles within the abodes of pig traders, and they will manifest as meat vendors. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will manifest variously within wineshops as drinkers, and in order to correctly demonstrate the faults of drinking wine, they will transform into chieftains and give gifts of wine to all sentient beings, yet they will not become attached to wine.

37.­26

“Similarly, in order to correctly demonstrate the faults of the sixteen great occupations, they will take birth within the castes of these sixteen great occupations and manifest as those engaged in these sixteen great occupations, yet they will not become attached to these occupations. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will become skilled at gambling and other amusements. With inexhaustible enjoyments, they will gather destitute sentient beings. In order to completely purify their discipline, they will transform into householder kings. Without getting mixed up with wife and children, they will nonetheless display a family, while constantly maintaining pure conduct. Though constantly abiding in solitary places, they will wear ornaments while cutting off any attachment to them. In those places, though they eat food, they will be constantly sustained by the nourishment of meditation. In order to destroy the pride, conceit, and haughtiness of non-Buddhist sectarians, they will take birth among the sectarians. [F.174.a] In order to liberate all those who esteem the skill of experts with wide learning, and those who interpret omens, they will attain comprehension of these matters just by thinking about them. Yet they will not become entrenched in their views.

37.­27

“In order to liberate animals, they will take birth within the abodes of all the animals and will show them all the highest respect. They will appear within the abodes of prostitutes, respecting them all, and they will become the best among the rogues within the brothels. In order to work for the benefit of beings to be tamed, they will appear at four-way and three-way crossroads. In order to demonstrate the faults of desire, they will enter all the brothels. They will enter into the abodes of all simpletons and those whose minds are unclear, in order to correctly instill mindfulness in them. They will appear with crippled limbs in order to instill disenchantment in those sentient beings with crippled limbs. In order to generate disenchantment with cyclic existence, they will become endowed with the four elements. In order to establish perseverance, meditation, and disenchantment in those who are lazy, weak minded, haughty, or intoxicated, they will manifest coming down with the four hundred and four diseases. In order to establish patience, they will appear as malevolent beings.

37.­28

“In order to correctly demonstrate the faults of eternalism to sentient beings who have notions of eternalism, they will take birth in all eons. In order to bring boys to full maturity, they will serve in all schools where letters are taught. In order to bring girls to full maturity, they will serve in all houses of song. In order to be in harmony with the world, they make friends with elders, strangers, and dancing girls. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will act as servants, maids, and hirelings. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they will display themselves variously as sick, aged, and dying. In order to bring sentient beings to full maturity, they become like vessels of precious substances [F.174.b] and jewels.

37.­29

“In order to make the faults of those sentient beings who hold the Vedas as supreme known to them, they become skilled in mantras and the Vedas. In order to eradicate the views of sentient beings who are attached to all forms of divination based on birdcalls, they display all manner of birdcalls. In order to magically manifest possession of various types of medicinal substances and herbal remedies, they empower themselves to be like all forms of trees, vines, fruits, flowers, and medicines. They exert themselves toward all forms of merit, while having no acute clinging to desires and enjoyments. In order to repudiate lesser vehicles, they brilliantly teach all the elaborate stories that proclaim the Dharma. In order to completely guard and protect all sentient beings, they engage in the activities of kings.

37.­30

“In order to cause merchants to be delighted by the traditions of Dharma, they will each become esteemed as the merchant among merchants. In order to eradicate the faults of householders, they will become esteemed as the householder among householders. In order to establish the royal caste in the traditions of Dharma, they will become esteemed as the royalty among the royal caste. In order to subdue their pride, conceit, and haughtiness, they will become esteemed as the brahmin among brahmins. In order to cause them to promote all activities and all traditions of Dharma, they will become esteemed as the great minister among great ministers. In order to cause them to turn away from governance, enjoyments, and lordship, they will become esteemed as the prince among princes. In order to bring all women to full maturity, they will become esteemed as the guardian eunuch among the royal consorts’ retinues. In order to cause them to perceive the special qualities of merit, they will act in harmony with common people. In order to demonstrate the disadvantages of lordship, they will become esteemed as the Śakra among Śakras. In order to demonstrate the special qualities of gnosis, they will become esteemed as the Brahmā among Brahmās. [F.175.a] In order to please all sentient beings, they will become the moon. In order to melt the great snow of sentient beings’ faulty and negative actions, they will become the sun. In order to engage in guarding the conduct of all sentient beings, they will become esteemed as the world guardian among world guardians.

37.­31

“Although they display all the manifestations of a buddha, including permanently passing into parinirvāṇa, they will never pass into parinirvāṇa. Although they display the appearance of all different forms, forms do not disrupt them from the actual nature of the Tathāgata. Although they go on to all buddhafields, they do not distinguish between different fields. Although they undertake the deeds of all the buddhas, they make no distinctions with regard to the Dharma realm. Although they hold complete mastery over all gods and humans, they do not become conceited, nor do they become hungry for power. In order to establish disenchantment in sentient beings, they correctly display all activities of sleeping. Although they display all the domains of Māra’s activities, they are not entrenched in the actions of Māra. Although they appear to engage in all worldly and world-transcending activities, they constantly enjoy delighting in the complete pleasure of Dharma. Like a lotus flower, they do not become sullied. Great Cloud Essence, observe the domain of this samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean!” [B7]

37.­32

Then at that time, a brahmin named Kauṇḍinya, a master grammarian,21 set forth from the great assembly and addressed the Bhagavān, saying “Alas, Bhagavān! Devadatta and the group of six monks have together turned their backs on such words as these, whose meanings are subtle and profound, and which are employed for the benefit of all sentient beings. Alas! Devadatta is ungrateful. Alas! Devadatta desires to do evil. Devadatta draws the blood of the Tathāgata. Alas! Devadatta and the group of six monks create schism among the saṅgha. Alas! Devadatta and the group of six monks are arrogant about belonging to the Śākya family. [F.175.b] Alas! They engage in conduct that brings misfortune and results in rebirth among the animals. Alas! Devadatta constantly thinks of killing the Bhagavān, and he has engaged in violent actions for a hundred thousand lifetimes. Devadatta will go to the hell realms. Alas! For Devadatta, there is no giving and no action.22 While the Bhagavān has looked after him out of kindness, he has sought to dig up the Bhagavān’s roots. Alas! Devadatta is determined to do evil. Devadatta’s followers belong to the faction of Māra; they stand before the Bhagavān and say that they will ‘go forth to renunciation’ while thinking of killing the Bhagavān. Although Devadatta’s followers all don the saffron robes, they merely wear them and nothing more. Since Devadatta’s followers live lives of deprivation, they are famished bald-heads.

37.­33

“Bhagavān, it is said that you are omniscient. It is said that you teach the doctrine of the existence of fruition. It is said that you are renowned for the purity of your family. If so, then why is it that you would allow one as wicked as Devadatta to go forth to renunciation? Bhagavān, with heartfelt kindness for all sentient beings, I beseech you to explain the purport of the doctrine, in order to clear away all their ambivalence and doubts. If your family is stainless and pure, bhagavān Tathāgata, then I beseech you to explain the great being Devadatta.”23

37.­34

At that time, through the Buddha’s power, Great Cloud Essence addressed the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, saying, “Great brahmin, excellent, excellent! Great brahmin, in order to benefit all sentient beings, you have questioned the Tathāgata well regarding this kingly question, which belongs to the domain of all the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.24 Excellent! Great brahmin, listen to me, and I will explain things in a manner that befits the power of tathāgatas and our own domain of activity.25 From now on, great brahmin, without saying such things, consider the following words and no others. [F.176.a] Devadatta, the group of six monks, and their followers are grateful to the Tathāgata. Devadatta is one who inspires supreme joy. Devadatta loves the family of the Tathāgata. Devadatta is the culmination of the Tathāgata’s activities. Devadatta is a great being who demonstrates the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities. Devadatta, the group of six monks, and their followers completely establish tens of millions of sentient beings in meritorious behavior. Great brahmin, no sentient beings are capable of drawing the blood of a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha. The Tathāgata’s body should be viewed as being like a tree’s shadow; you should see it as an expedient means.

37.­35

“Great brahmin, the family of the Śākyas is pure‍—inconceivably pure. Within the Śākya family, it is impossible for there to be even a few whose discipline is lax. The Tathāgata teaches the doctrine of the existence of fruition. The Tathāgata’s followers are like sandalwood and beryl. The Tathāgata’s following is undivided. The Tathāgata’s followers are like tigers and great lion kings. The Tathāgata’s followers belong to the inconceivable domain of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.26 The Tathāgata’s followers should be seen as like fiery coals covered with ashes. The Tathāgata is unsurpassed. The Tathāgata is omniscient. It is impossible for sentient beings who have followed the Tathāgata in going forth to renunciation to have lax discipline. Those beings are all completely established in the understanding of all profound domains. Therefore, the Tathāgata is himself omniscient.

37.­36

“Great brahmin, even trillions of māras could not divide the saṅgha. This schism within the saṅgha27 should be viewed as an expedient means. Devadatta and the group of six monks do not create schism among the saṅgha. [F.176.b] Devadatta and the group of six monks represent the Śākya family. They do not conduct themselves in such a way as to be born as animals or among ordinary people. Having been born in the Śākya family and gone forth to renunciation at the feet of the Tathāgata, what need is there to say that they do not engage in such actions? The idea is unfounded. Devadatta and the group of six monks act very kindly. Devadatta does not merely wear the saffron-colored robes. Devadatta is not a famished bald-head. Devadatta and the group of six monks are bound by the pratimokṣa vows. Devadatta is not determined to do evil. Devadatta does not desire to do evil. Devadatta and the group of six monks should be known as monks representing the Tathāgata’s expedient means. All bodhisattvas play within the hell realms by means of the superknowledges. This should be seen as the domain of bodhisattvas. Devadatta will not go to the hell realms.

37.­37

“Moreover, great brahmin, please listen! To give an analogy, it is like two travelers who have come from other lands to a foreign city. They each set out to return to their own lands, one going to the west and one going to the east. The farther they each go, the farther behind each of them has left that foreign city. It is unfounded to say that the farther they go, the closer they will come to meeting again. In this fashion, great brahmin, if it were the case that the Tathāgata and Devadatta are not connected as you hold, then it would be very obvious. Moreover, great brahmin, if a certain person performs an act of killing, they will burn in the hell realms for many hundreds of years. If they perform meritorious acts, they will frolic in the higher realms for as many as ten million years. Great brahmin, the Tathāgata possesses inconceivable virtuous qualities and is not tainted by the host of latent karmic tendencies. Therefore, if Devadatta held the thought of killing the Tathāgata, then it would be reasonable to suppose that the karmic fruition of even generating that single thought would cause him to burn in the hell realms for countless lifetimes throughout tens of millions of unfathomable, countless great eons. [F.177.a] Great brahmin, for the long duration of many countless trillions of eons, the Tathāgata has transcended all foes. If Devadatta were burning in the hell realms, how would the Tathāgata ever encounter him? This idea is unfounded.

37.­38

“Moreover, great brahmin, if you hold that Devadatta is one who lives a life of evil, then how is it that throughout hundreds of thousands of former lives the tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect Buddha has encountered and been accompanied by Devadatta? This idea is unfounded. Why is that? Devadatta would certainly burn in the hell realms for as long as he had the thought of killing the Tathāgata. Therefore, given that Devadatta would be suffering in the hell realms for as long as he was thinking thus of killing the Tathāgata, how would these two men ever be able to encounter each other? Great brahmin, it would be unfounded to say, following this, that Devadatta never encountered the Tathāgata.

37.­39

“Moreover, great brahmin, if you hold that Devadatta is an evil person, then you should think of Devadatta going to the hell realms as like the traveler who goes to the east. You should think of the Tathāgata as the traveler who goes to the west. And what is that city? You should think of it as the city of permanent fearlessness; this you should see as skillful means. You should know that we cannot conceive of the domain of the Tathāgata. Devadatta belongs to the domain of the Tathāgata, not the domain of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas.

37.­40

“Great brahmin, you should rejoice in Devadatta as the bodhisattva mahāsattva named Mahākapila, who, after giving instruction, was surrounded by a group of six bodhisattvas.28 Great brahmin, by analogy, it is like a donkey who could not withstand the beating that a great elephant receives; only the great elephant could withstand such a beating. [F.177.b] Great brahmin, similarly, when beaten with the goad of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech, donkeys such as the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot withstand it. Only those who are like the Tathāgata can stand to be beaten with the goad of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech.

37.­41

“Great brahmin, see the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities! Great brahmin, you should request forgiveness from the bodhisattva mahāsattva Mahākapila, who is surrounded by his retinue of bodhisattvas! Great brahmin, you should know that those who do not recognize the greatness of the virtuous qualities of Devadatta‍—whether monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen‍—have only half attained the arising of buddhahood; they have only one eye, and they have attained only half a human body.29

37.­42

“Moreover, great brahmin, behold the greatness of Devadatta’s virtuous qualities! No sentient beings could bear to harm the Tathāgata, nor are they capable of recognizing the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities, of beholding the domain of the Tathāgata, or of seeing the Tathāgata. Great brahmin, Devadatta was able to bear harming the Tathāgata, and he realized the greatness of the Tathāgata’s qualities. He was able to magically manifest the magical manifestation of all the tathāgatas, which does not belong to the domain of the śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas, and to perfectly display the virtuous qualities of all the tathāgatas. You should regard him as a great being whose domain is equal to that of the Tathāgata. Wherever the Tathāgata has appeared through his power to tame sentient beings, there this great being Devadatta has also appeared, following closely behind the Tathāgata. Great brahmin, we are not capable of revealing the domain of the Tathāgata; you should regard this as the Tathāgata’s skillful means. See this Dharma teaching on the domain of the gateways of the concealed intent of the Tathāgata’s speech!” [F.178.a]

37.­43

At that time, the entire retinue made great offerings to the Bhagavān and then with one voice spoke these verses:

37.­44
“Even a billion māras
Could not divide the saṅgha;
As medicine for all sentient beings,
You have demonstrated these karmic causes.”
37.­45

The Bhagavān then replied to the bodhisattva Great Cloud Essence, “Excellent, Great Cloud Essence, excellent! So it is. Great Cloud Essence, in order to eradicate the doubts of all outsider sentient beings, you have given this excellent explanation. On the basis of the Tathāgata’s concealed speech, you have explained the domain of the Tathāgata‍—which is not the same as that of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas‍—and the greatness of Devadatta’s virtuous qualities. Excellent, excellent! Great Cloud Essence. Moreover, bodhisattva mahāsattvas who abide in the domain of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean are able to take something as lofty and vast as Mount Meru, the king of mountains‍—with its great height and breadth, its great domain and power‍—and insert it into a mustard seed, without the inside of the mustard seed growing any larger. Furthermore, after the display of such a deed, the Four Great Kings and the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three would not even sense that ‘we have been inserted somewhere; we have been placed somewhere.’ Other sentient beings, however, would see and know that Mount Meru, the king of mountains, had been inserted into a mustard seed. Great Cloud Essence, see how one engages with the domain of liberation of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean!

37.­46

“Moreover, Great Cloud Essence, bodhisattvas who abide in the domain of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean can insert the entire great mass of water of the four oceans into a single hair-pore, without all the fish, turtles, frogs, porpoises, crocodiles, makara fish, water dwellers, water snakes, tirikara, and other similar aquatic creatures suffering any harm. [F.178.b] The nāgas, gandharvas, and asuras would also not think that ‘we have been inserted somewhere; we have been placed somewhere.’ Moreover, after the display of such a deed, sentient beings would be free from harm and harassment. Furthermore, such bodhisattvas30 could break off this great trichiliocosm world-system and, holding it in their right hand like a shield, hurl it spinning so that it passes beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River, without sentient beings noticing that ‘someone has picked us up; we have been placed somewhere.’ Such bodhisattvas31 could again pick up this world system and put it back in its original place, without anyone realizing that it had come and gone in such a fashion after the display of such deeds.”

37.­47

At that time, the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, together with hundreds of thousands of brahmin youths, made offerings to the Bhagavān. They addressed him, saying, “If the Bhagavān has compassion for all sentient beings, if you regard all sentient beings as being just like your son Rāhula, then please grant us a single boon!”

37.­48

The Bhagavān remained silent, but through his powers of buddhahood he caused a Licchavi youth named Admired by All Worlds to emerge from the great assembly and address the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, saying, “Great brahmin, what boon would you request from the Bhagavān? I shall grant you a boon.”

37.­49

The brahmin said, “O Licchavi youth! Please grant my request for a single mustard seed–sized relic from the Bhagavān, so that I can make offerings to the Bhagavān’s relics. I have heard that one who makes offerings to just one mustard seed–sized relic will become lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Therefore, I would greatly treasure just a single white speck of a relic. O Licchavi youth! [F.179.a] This Great Cloud discourse is difficult for even śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas to understand and penetrate. How much more is this the case for one such as myself, who is known as an outsider to this Great Cloud discourse. Hear me now, O Licchavi youth! This Great Cloud discourse is so hard to understand, so hard to realize. How could we brahmins from the borderlands uphold it? It would be more suitable for us to bear within a precious casket a mustard seed–sized relic, through which sentient beings can quickly attain lordship over the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. O Licchavi youth! How could you be unwilling to grant my request for a mustard seed–sized relic from the Tathāgata, so that I may place it within a precious casket and bear it and thereby become lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three? May you please grant such a boon!”

37.­50

The Licchavi youth Admired by All Worlds then replied to the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, uttering these verses:32

37.­51
“When the kumuda flower blooms in the Ganges River,
When a mouse becomes the size of an elephant,
When the cuckoo becomes the color of a conch shell,
When the rose-apple tree grows from the palm tree’s seed,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­52
“When from the hairs of the tortoise
One can weave fine clothing
That can be worn for many winters,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­53
“When, to shelter a city,
One could construct a dome from the limbs of bees
That is stable and unwavering,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­54
“When by applying a magical enchantment
To the teeth of a leech and the like
They thereby grow and expand,
At that time a relic may be obtained.33
37.­55
“When out of hares’ horns
A staircase can be constructed
For ascending to the higher realms,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­56
“When a mouse can ascend that staircase
And proceed to eat the moon
And thus destroy Rāhu,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­57
“When a swarm of flies
Can drink a pot of alcohol
And then go live inside a house,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­58
“When a donkey, growing elated,
Gets lips as red as an apple
And becomes skilled in song and dance,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­59
“When crows and owls
Leave their isolated places and talk together
And, agreeing to no longer harm one another, [F.179.b]
Always live together in all places and seasons,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­60
“When the leaves of the palāśa tree
Transform into parasols adorned with three kinds of jewels
And, drifting downward, provide coverage throughout space,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­61
“When a great oceanic vessel
Equipped with a mechanical wheel and sails
Can drive up onto and travel upon dry land,
At that time a relic may be obtained.
37.­62
“When a sparrow
Can pick up the Fragrant Mountain
And hold it in its beak while flying,
At that time a relic may be obtained.”
37.­63

The brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, then replied to the Licchavi youth Admired by All Worlds with these verses:

37.­64
“Excellent, great youth, excellent!
The children of the Tathāgata are great heroes
Possessing courage and skillful means.
With such greatness, they obtain prophecies of future buddhahood.34
37.­65
“Great youth, listen as I explain in turn
About the great qualities of the Tathāgata.
The domain of the Buddha is inconceivable.
His gnosis is beyond conception, equal to the unequaled.
37.­66
“The tathāgatas are unparalleled.
All buddhas are permanently tranquil.
All buddhas are truly arisen.
All buddhas have the same appearance.
37.­67
“This is the actual nature of the buddhas.
The bhagavān Buddha is not a fabrication.
All the tathāgatas are unborn.
Their bodies, unbreakable like vajras,
Further display as emanation bodies.
37.­68
“No relic, even one the size of a mustard seed,
Ever arises or comes into existence.
Since they are not made of bone, blood, or flesh,
How could there ever be relics?
Yet for the benefit of sentient beings,
They establish relics out of skillful means.
37.­69
“The bhagavān Buddha is the Dharma body.
The Tathāgata is the Dharma realm.
Since the Bhagavān’s body is like this,
His Dharma teachings are also like this.
37.­70
“Having heard and come to know this,
I request the exposition of the sacred Dharma.
I beseech you to discuss it with me
So that I may comprehend your explanations.”
37.­71

At that time, a goddess named Stainless Light paid homage to the Bhagavān and uttered this verse: [F.180.a]

37.­72
“O Bhagavān! These two great beings of skillful means,
Who possess both learning and profound knowledge of tranquility,
Have sought to elucidate the greatness of the Tathāgata’s qualities.
Bhagavān, where have these two sacred beings come from?
I beseech the Bhagavān to explain this, to serve as medicine for all sentient beings.”
37.­73

The Bhagavān replied, “Excellent, goddess, excellent! It is excellent that you have asked this of the Tathāgata in order to benefit all sentient beings. Listen, goddess! These two great lords are the children of the Tathāgata. Goddess, these two great lords are the chiefs of all sacred beings. They are beings who have made the aspiration to delight in cyclic existence. They are grateful for the deeds I have performed. They love my children. They uphold the lineage and family of the Śākyas. They shoulder the burden of my teachings. They cause the lamp of my teachings to blaze forth. Therefore, you should rejoice in them! Goddess, in a past age, countless eons ago, many great eons past‍—at that time, there had arisen in the world a tathāgata, one endowed with knowledge and its supporting conduct, one gone to bliss, a knower of the world, an unexcelled charioteer who tames beings, a teacher of humans and gods, a bhagavān buddha named Lamp of the Nāga Family.

37.­74

“At that time, goddess, this land of Jambudvīpa was abundant and flourishing; harvests were good, and everything was agreeable. All humans and other beings were satiated and comfortable, and their minds were at ease. At that time, the area of the spacious and vast expanse of Jambudvīpa was one hundred sixty-eight thousand yojanas wide on each side. At that time, here in Jambudvīpa, there were eighteen thousand cities twelve yojanas wide, each with nine hundred ninety million inhabitants. All those cities, moreover, were constructed from nothing but the seven precious substances. Goddess, at that time this city of Rājagṛha was called Source of Jewels, [F.180.b] and in that great city, where the Tathāgata had arisen, there lived eighty trillion people. All the sentient beings who lived in that great city Source of Jewels were nothing but supreme bodhisattvas who played within the Great Vehicle.

37.­75

“At that time, goddess, within the city Source of Jewels, the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family manifested the lion’s roar of the teaching of this Great Cloud discourse amid all those supreme bodhisattvas. At that time. goddess, within the city Source of Jewels there was a Dharma king named Great Diligent Nāga. Goddess, that Dharma king Great Diligent Nāga had a queen named Sacred Goddess Who Upholds the Teachings and Delights in the Great Vehicle. That Dharma king also had a great minister named Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma.

37.­76

“At that time, goddess, the great minister circumambulated King Great Diligent Nāga. Then, Queen Sacred went before him and circumambulated him and then made great offerings to the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family. They then joined their palms, bowed in homage before the Tathāgata, and sat down to one side. The bhagavān tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family, knowing that King Great Diligent Nāga had given rise to the superior intention, then emitted a ray of light called unfearing fearlessness. Having emitted that ray of light, the Tathāgata, through his power, caused the great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma to begin a discussion of the Tathāgata’s relics and inquire about them. At that time, the Bhagavān remained silent in response to the minister’s inquiry.

37.­77

“At that time, King Great Diligent Nāga decided to again ask his great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma. In this fashion those two beings, to benefit all sentient beings, discussed the Tathāgata’s relics and together inquired about them. The tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family had a disciple named Great Name, who, on hearing this discussion of relics, [F.181.a] thought, ‘Oh! Great Diligent Nāga is a skilled Dharma king who possesses the Dharma and clearly understands the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities.’ Upon thinking thus, he asked the Tathāgata about the greatness of Great Diligent Nāga. Then, the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family, for the benefit of his entire retinue, gave extensive teachings on the domain of The Great Cloud and on the greatness of Great Diligent Nāga. When they heard this teaching explaining the greatness of Great Diligent Nāga, all within the great retinue took it to be wondrous and amazing.

37.­78

“At that time, goddess, when King Great Diligent Nāga heard his own virtuous qualities explained, he and his great minister, queen, and retinue prostrated together before the Tathāgata, touching their heads to the Tathāgata’s feet hundreds of thousands of times. Scattering handfuls of jewels over the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family, he gave rise to this thought: ‘Bhagavān, in the future when the skillful methods of the teachings of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni are waning, I will go forth to renunciation. When the end of the Dharma arrives, may I sound the great roar three times, dispelling all those who merely wear the robes of Dharma practitioners and those non-Buddhists with shaved heads, so that the sacred Dharma may arise. May I give up my life for the sake of the sacred Dharma.’

37.­79

“Then, the great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma gave rise to this thought: ‘Bhagavān, in the future I will carry the burden of the teachings of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni. When the Bhagavān has employed the skillful means of passing into parinirvāṇa, may I be a lord of humans who establishes an abundant and excellent kingdom and actually sounds the great roar of the sacred Dharma.’ At that time, King Great Diligent Nāga’s queen Sacred Goddess gave rise to this thought: ‘When the Bhagavān Śākyamuni’s teachings have been established, I will discipline all the negative hosts of non-Buddhists in my female form. [F.181.b] Then, may I establish the royal order, adorn the kingdom, and sound the great roar of the sacred Dharma.’

37.­80

“At that time Great Name gave rise to this thought: ‘Bhagavān, in the future I will become one of the supreme disciples of the Bhagavān Śākyamuni’s teachings. May I come to possess, through the Tathāgata’s power, the virtuous qualities of lordship over the inconceivable domain of the Dharma doctrine on the existence of fruition, which is taught through the great lion’s roar that magically manifests the inconceivable domain of the Tathāgata. May I sound the lion’s roar and long bear the burden of the Tathāgata’s teachings.’

37.­81

“Goddess, because of being endowed with these virtuous roots, these four‍—including you‍—have undertaken many hardships for the sake of my teachings and acted in harmony with ordinary beings. Goddess, not only in the present but also in the past, you four have performed activities in many forms and made vows to bear the arrayed burdens of my teachings. Goddess, you should know that you have paid veneration to many buddhas with a mind of deep faith.”

37.­82

At this point the goddess addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain how I have developed this mind of faith and how we four have come to act as medicine for many sentient beings.”

37.­83

The Bhagavān replied, saying, “Goddess, excellent, excellent! Goddess, listen well as I explain in turn the prophecies related to these four, including you. Goddess, see the greatness of the virtuous qualities of these four, including you yourself. You should understand that the great minister Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma is the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian. Goddess, moreover, when a hundred and twenty years have passed after I am gone, the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, will be born within a half-cakravartin family called Maurya. Goddess, after having been born within the Maurya family, he will become a half-cakravartin king. Goddess, when he has become this supreme king of the Maurya family, [F.182.a] he will perform his kingly duties in accordance with the traditions of Dharma.”

37.­84

Then the goddess addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Bhagavān, what name will he have?”

37.­85

He replied, “Goddess, this layman king will be named Aśoka. Goddess, this half-cakravartin king named Aśoka will sound the foremost great lion’s roar of the treatises of Dharma and will make illustrious offerings to the Dharma teachings.”

37.­86

Then the goddess asked, “As medicine for all sentient beings, I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the prophecy concerning King Great Diligent Nāga.”

37.­87

The Bhagavān replied, “Goddess, first listen to the prophecy concerning yourself.” At this, the goddess became ashamed and bowed her head.

37.­88

The Bhagavān replied, “Excellent, goddess, excellent! Shame is the foremost among all dharmas. Goddess, excellent! Goddess, you were King Great Diligent Nāga’s queen Sacred. See the domain of the samādhi of the tide of the deep, constant ocean, which arises from The Great Cloud! Goddess, after I am gone, due to your virtuous roots and your special vows, you will be born into the merchant class in the city called Veyi. Having obtained the form of the queen of a cakravartin king, you will take up renunciation, abiding in discipline, and the basic precepts of training. Then, you will rule over that great, prosperous city and its environs in the form of a woman. You will discipline the negative host of non-Buddhists and cause the lamp of the sacred Dharma to blaze brightly, making offerings to the teachings of the Bhagavān. Having sounded the great roar of the Dharma, you will completely guard and protect your kingdom by engaging in the conduct of a bodhisattva, and you will act in a manner that engages harmoniously with the world.

37.­89

“Goddess, through the power of King Great Diligent Nāga’s majesty, you have become one who plays within the inconceivable. Therefore, Goddess, you should rejoice in the Dharma king Great Diligent Nāga! [F.182.b] This King Great Diligent Nāga is now my supreme disciple, the Licchavi youth Admired by All Worlds.”

37.­90

The goddess said, “I beseech the Bhagavān to explain the prophecy concerning this great being Great Name, to serve as medicine for all sentient beings.”

37.­91

The Bhagavān replied, “Goddess, listen to this prophecy concerning Great Name, and venerate him for as long as you live. You will attain the magical powers and virtuous qualities of Great Name. Goddess, Great Name is just like a buddha. Goddess, Great Name is like one half of the body of a buddha.”

37.­92

The goddess asked, “Bhagavān, how should one venerate one such as Great Name for as long as one lives?”

37.­93

The Bhagavān replied, “Great Name was a disciple of the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family. He is just like one of my disciples, and one half of my own body, and he has repaid his gratitude to me. Now he is the present-day Mahākāśyapa. Goddess, you should venerate him for as long as you live.”

37.­94

At that time, a devaputra named Supreme Club set forth from the great assembly with a retinue of a thousand other devaputras. After making offerings to the Bhagavān, he spoke this verse:

37.­95
“Even if one could drain all the oceans
Using just a hair’s tip,
One would be unable to express by mere words
The ocean of qualities of the myriad forms you have assumed.”
37.­96

Upon hearing him speak these words, all the hundreds of thousands of devaputras produced the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening.

37.­97

At that time, the Bhagavān addressed the brahmin Kauṇḍinya, the master grammarian, saying, “Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, since you have obtained that which is well obtained, you should have great faith. In the future, you will perform actions for the benefit of all sentient beings. I will now discuss these and explain how you should uphold them.

37.­98

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in ten Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Manifest Clarity. There is a tathāgata, [F.183.a] foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Inexhaustible Intellect, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­99

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in twenty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called All Equal. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Precious Victory Banner, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­100

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in thirty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Joyful Mind. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Essence of Stainless Light, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­101

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in forty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Utter Joy. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Renowned for Delightful Magical Manifestations, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­102

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in fifty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Joyful Faith in the Sacred Dharma. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Cloud Protector, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­103

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in sixty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Abode of All Non-Buddhists. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named King of Lion’s Play, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­104

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, [F.183.b] to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in seventy Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Flower Victory Banner. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Superior King of Sumeru, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­105

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, to the south of this buddhafield, beyond as many world systems as there are grains of sand in eighty Ganges Rivers, there is a world system called Jewel Protector. There is a tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddha named Pinnacle of Guarding All Sacred Dharmas, who lives and dwells there now, teaching the Dharma.

37.­106

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, all these complete and perfect tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas have completely purified their buddhafields. Their buddhafields are flat like the palm of one’s hand and without mountains, boulders, pebbles, dirt, sticks, and thorns. They are smooth and soft like kācalindi cloth and free from the five degeneracies. There are no women, śrāvakas, or pratyekabuddhas‍—even these names do not exist there. All the sentient beings there utterly delight in the Great Vehicle, play with the Great Vehicle, and have gained faith only in the Great Vehicle.

37.­107

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, if a noble son or daughter who has correctly entered into the Great Vehicle hears the names of these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas and, having heard them, upholds them, realizes them, bears them in mind, recites them, or correctly teaches them widely to others, then, master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, for those noble sons and daughters to be reborn in the hell realms, the animal realms, or among the race of asuras is impossible and would never happen. Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, for a bodhisattva mahāsattva to hear about the samādhi gateways from me now [F.184.a] and to then, in their next life, become contemptuous when hearing about these samādhi gateways is impossible and would never happen.

37.­108

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, for bodhisattva mahāsattvas who bear in mind the names of those tathāgatas, all such things as the following will be impossible: damage from poison, harm from weapons, death by water, and burning by fire; the creation of obstacles by kings, robbers, humans, nonhumans, nāgas, yakṣas, lions, venomous insects, tigers, dogs, wolves, snakes, and all manner of negative forces; and further obstacles to engaging in pure conduct, practicing recitation, begging, or wearing the robes of Dharma practitioners. Unless they occur due to the ripening of past karma, these will never happen.

37.­109

“Master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, moreover, if there are monks, nuns, laymen, or laywomen who deride, criticize, or laugh at other non-Buddhist practitioners or wandering mendicants, whether going along with others or for the sake of gain, respect, or praise, then if they hear the names of these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, it will be impossible for them to be reborn in unpleasant realms.” [B8]

37.­110

At that time, the master grammarian Kauṇḍinya prostrated, touching his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, and then asked, “If those who come to hear these Dharma teachings obtain that which is well obtained, what need is there to mention those who, having heard it, develop belief, receive instruction, proclaim it, and bear it in mind? Sentient beings such as these obtain the treasury of delighting in the Dharma. For those who hold in their hands the names of these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, [F.184.b] all the tathāgatas will come to live in their homes. Bhagavān, wherever people hear the names of these tathāgatas and develop trust in them, the ground in that place will come to have the nature of a vajra. Bhagavān, whoever hears the names of these tathāgatas and develops trust in them will transform and attain the vajra nature, obtaining unwavering patience. Bhagavān, I will venerate and serve whoever develops faith in these names, which are difficult to develop trust in.”

37.­111

The Bhagavān replied, “Excellent, master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, excellent! It is excellent that you have made such a promise for the sake of those noble sons and daughters. Moreover, master grammarian Kauṇḍinya, when one bears in mind the names of all these tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, then each and every source of fearfulness will be quelled completely. When someone bears these names in mind, gods will protect them, nāgas will protect them, yakṣas will protect them, and so forth all the way up to the tathāgatas, who will also protect them.”

37.­112

Then, out of the great assembly rose a devaputra named Gandharva King Delightful Appearance. He prostrated, touching his head to the Bhagavān’s feet, and then addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Ah, Bhagavān! After the Tathāgata passes into nirvāṇa, who will be able to bear in mind such tathāgatas as these and such discourses as these? What kinds of sentient beings will be able to maintain them? What kinds of sentient beings will cause them to disappear?”

37.­113

Then, through the Buddha’s power, the venerable Mahākāśyapa addressed the devaputra Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, saying, “Noble child, there is no passing into parinirvāṇa for any of the tathāgata, foe-destroyer, complete and perfect buddhas, [F.185.a] and the Dharma will not disappear.”

37.­114

At this point, the devaputra Gandharva King Delightful Appearance addressed Mahākāśyapa, saying, “Venerable Mahākāśyapa, in order to benefit all confused sentient beings, please give an explanation! Venerable Mahākāśyapa, please light the lamp of knowledge for those sentient beings who have doubts! Venerable Mahākāśyapa, in the future I will also broadly proclaim the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities.”

37.­115

At these words, the elder Mahākāśyapa replied to the devaputra Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, saying, “Friend, the bodies of the tathāgatas are Dharma bodies. The bodies of the tathāgatas are as hard as vajras. The bodies of the tathāgatas are endowed with all virtues. Friend, the bodies of the tathāgatas are not flesh bodies, because they are bodies of skillful means. Noble child, how could bodies such as the tathāgatas’ bodies pass into parinirvāṇa? How could they be impermanent?”

37.­116

“So at this point, venerable Mahākāśyapa, although out of skillful means it is said that they pass into parinirvāṇa, it is not the case that they permanently pass into parinirvāṇa?”

37.­117

“Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, excellent, excellent! Your statement that ‘although out of skillful means it is said that they pass into parinirvāṇa, it is not the case that they permanently pass into parinirvāṇa’ is well spoken. Excellent, Gandharva King Delightful Appearance! Gandharva King Delightful Appearance, moreover, although there are common measures through which all things can be understood, there is not a single measure through which one can understand the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities.”

37.­118

“Venerable Mahākāśyapa, when will the Tathāgata permanently pass into parinirvāṇa?”

37.­119

“When all sentient beings have become complete and perfect buddhas, [F.185.b] attaining unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening, and then as complete and perfect buddhas have entered into parinirvāṇa, the Tathāgata will at that time enter into parinirvāṇa.”

37.­120

“Venerable Mahākāśyapa, the greatness of the Tathāgata’s virtuous qualities is wondrous. Who would not produce the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening on hearing such words?”

37.­121

“The venerable bhagavān Tathāgata is permanent, eternal, stable, immovable, incomparable, and inconceivable‍—he does not belong to the domain of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas. Only the tathāgatas themselves can comprehend the tathāgatas. Noble child, you must engage in the conduct of a bodhisattva with equanimity!”

37.­122

When Mahākāśyapa gave this explanation, one million two hundred thousand devaputras produced the aspiration to attain unsurpassed, complete, and perfect awakening. With joyful minds, they uttered these verses together in a single voice:

37.­123
“The Buddha will not pass into parinirvāṇa,
And the Dharma will not disappear.
To bring sentient beings to maturity,
He displays his passing into parinirvāṇa.
37.­124
“The bhagavān Buddha is inconceivable.
The Tathāgata’s body is permanent.
To benefit all sentient beings,
You teach these various dharmas.”
37.­125

As the teachings on the discourse itself, the samādhis, the Dharma gateways, the questions concerning secrets, and parinirvāṇa have been established, this concludes the thirty-seventh chapter on the aggregated maṇḍalas of the sacred Dharma.


38.

Chapter 38

38.­1

At that time, a host of devaputras arrived from the Obsidian Mountain in the southern lands. Together with Mahākāśyapa, they ascended into empty space, hovering at a distance equal to the height of seven tala trees. From there, they scattered flower petals down upon the Tathāgata, piling up layers of petals as high as Mount Meru. Thereupon, their eyes filled with tears, and with voices wailing they addressed the Bhagavān, saying, “Alas, Bhagavān! When the Tathāgata [F.186.a] has passed into parinirvāṇa out of skillful means, what sorts of sentient beings will arise to maintain those discourses such as this one, which were spoken by the Tathāgata?”


c.

Colophon

c.­1

Revised and finalized by the Indian preceptor Surendrabodhi and the great editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé.


n.

Notes

n.­1
Such views comprise one element of Buddha-nature theory associated with the Buddha’s “third turning of the wheel of Dharma” (see below), but also stem from the theory of the emanation body (nirmāṇakāya, sprul pa’i sku) that may have first developed in non-Mahāyāna schools. They have been compared by scholars in the modern era to similar views about Jesus Christ in docetism, a second century belief rejected as heretical by the early Church councils. On “docetic Buddhism” see Anesaki (1911), Seyfort-Ruegg (2008) pp. 31–34, and Radich (2015).
n.­2
See Radich 2015, p. 19ff.
n.­3
See Brunnhölzl 2014, p. 4ff; however, in his paragraph on the sūtra on p. 46 he does not note the presence in it of the themes just mentioned.
n.­4
Suzuki (1996) has suggested that The Great Cloud may in fact be the source of the interpolated passage in the Suvarṇa­prabhāsa.
n.­5
See Robert A. F. Thurman, trans., The Teaching of Vimalakīrti (Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa­sūtra), Toh 176 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2017).
n.­6
See Forte 1976 and Radich 2017.
n.­7
Denkarma, 297.a.3. See also Yoshimura 1950, p. 127.
n.­8
Phangthangma, p. 7.
n.­17
Following the variant reading of mthar byed pa’i rtog found in the Stok Palace edition.
n.­18
Both the Tib. and Ch. refer to ten Dharma gateways in this chapter, although in both versions the chapter contains only eight.
n.­19
“Nāga king” is added for clarification.
n.­20
The term “learning” is added for clarification.
n.­21
Tib. slob dpon lung ston pa, likely rendering Skt. ācārya­vyākaraṇa. A grammarian named Kauṇḍinya is mentioned in the Taittirīya Prātiśākhya.
n.­22
Ch. provides a much more detailed explanation here: “[He claims that] for those who give to charity, there will be no fruition, and the virtue that one cultivates will also not bring accomplishment; thus [his views] are no different from the nirgranthas. The irgranthas say that there is no appropriation and no giving, and Devadatta is also like this.”
n.­23
Here and below “Devadatta” is added to clarify the direct object of certain sentences.
n.­24
Ch. says the opposite: “this question, which all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas would be incapable of asking.”
n.­25
“Of activity” is added here for clarification.
n.­26
Ch. says the opposite here: “Such followers, difficult to fathom, do not belong to the domain of śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas.”
n.­27
“Schism within the saṅgha” is added here for clarification.
n.­28
Ch. provides more detail here: “Great brahmin, the mahāsattva Yellow Head (Kapila), who is often praised by the Bhagavān Tathāgata, is none other than the bhikṣu Devadatta. The group of six monks are also great bodhisattvas who accompany Devadatta. How could you say that they are people [destined for] the hell realms?”
n.­29
Ch. says the opposite: “Those monks . . . who are capable of understanding the merit of Devadatta should undoubtedly be known as true disciples of the Buddha‍—they have attained one half of the Buddha’s merit; they have attained one eye of buddhahood; they have attained one half of the Buddha’s body.”
n.­30
“Such bodhisattvas” is added here for clarification.
n.­31
Again, “such bodhisattvas” is added for clarification.
n.­32
This entire exchange between Kauṇḍinya and the Licchavi youth also appears in the Suvarṇa­prabhāsottama­sūtra (Toh 556).
n.­33
Ch.: “If a water leech / Suddenly grew a white tooth / That was as large as an elephant’s tusk, / Then a relic could be obtained.”
n.­34
“Of future buddhahood” is added here for clarification.

b.

Bibliography

sprin chen po’i mdo (Mahāmeghasūtra). Toh 232, Degé Kangyur vol. 64 (mdo sde, wa), folios 113.a–214.b.

dri med grags pa’i bstan (Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa). Toh 176, Degé Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ma), folios 175.a–239.a. English translation in Thurman 2017.

yongs su mya ngan las ’das pa chen po (Mahā­parinirvāṇa). Toh 120, Degé Kangyur vol. 54 (mdo sde, tha), folios 1.b–151.b.

gser ’od dam pa mdo sde’i dbang po’i rgyal po (Suvarṇa­prabhāsottama­sūtrendra­rāja). Toh 556, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud, pa), folios 151.b–273.a; Toh 557, vol. 90 (rgyud, pha), folios 1.b–62.a.

Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan[/lhan] dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.

Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.

Anesaki, Masaharu. “Docetism (Buddhist),” in Hastings, J. (ed.) Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, pp. 835–840. (Available on Internet Archive). Edinburgh: Clark, 1911.

Brunnhölzl, Karl. When the Clouds Part: The Uttaratantra and its Meditative Tradition as a Bridge Between Sūtra and Tantra. Hamburg: Hamburg University Press, 2015.

Forte, Antonino. Political Propaganda and Ideology in China at the End of the Seventh Century: Inquiry into the Nature, Authors, and Function of the Tunhuang Document S. 6502 Followed by an Annotated Translation. Naples: Instituto Universitario Orientale, Seminario di Studi Asiatici, 1976.

Radich, Michael (2015). The Mahāparinirvāṇa-mahāsūtra and the Emergence of Tathāgatagarbha Doctrine. Hamburg Buddhist Studies 5. Hamburg: Hamburg University Press, 2015.

Seyfort-Ruegg, David. “Docetism in Mahāyāna Sūtras,” in The symbiosis of Buddhism with Brahmanism/Hinduism in South Asia and of Buddhism with “local cults” in Tibet and the Himalayan region, pp. 31–34. Vienna: Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 2008.

‍—‍—‍—(2017). “Problems of Attribution, Style, and Dating Relating to the ‘Great Cloud Sutras’ in the Chinese Buddhist Canon (T 387, T 388/S. 6916).” In Buddhist Transformations and Interactions: Essays in Honor of Antonino Forte, edited by Victor H. Mair, 235–89. Amherst, NY: Cambria Press, 2017.

Suzuki Takayasu. “The Mahāmeghasūtra as an Origin of an Interpolated Part of the Present Suvarṇa­prabhāsa.” Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies 45, no. 1 (1996): 28–30.

Thurman, Robert A. F., trans. The Teaching of Vimalakīrti (Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa, Toh 176). 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2017.

Yoshimura Shuki. The Denkar-ma: An Oldest Catalogue of the Tibetan Buddhist Canons. Kyoto: Ryukoku University, 1950.


g.

Glossary

Types of attestation for Sanskrit names and terms

AS

Attested in source text

This term is attested in the Sanskrit manuscript used as a source for this translation.

AO

Attested in other text

This term is attested in other Sanskrit manuscripts of the Kangyur or Tengyur.

AD

Attested in dictionary

This term is attested in Tibetan-Sanskrit dictionaries.

AA

Approximate attestation

The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names where Tibetan-Sanskrit relationship is attested in dictionaries or other manuscripts.

RP

Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering

This term is a reconstruction based on the Tibetan phonetic rendering of the term.

RS

Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering

This term is a reconstruction based on the semantics of the Tibetan translation.

SU

Source Unspecified

This term has been supplied from an unspecified source, which most often is a widely trusted dictionary.

g.­1

Abides in the Certainty of the Hero’s Steadfast Asceticism

  • dpa’ brtan brtul zhugs nges pa la nye bar gnas pa
  • དཔའ་བརྟན་བརྟུལ་ཞུགས་ངེས་པ་ལ་ཉེ་བར་གནས་པ།
  • —

A devaputra present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 29.­3
g.­2

Abiding Long as Indra

  • brgya byin lhar ’dzin yun ring gnas
  • བརྒྱ་བྱིན་ལྷར་འཛིན་ཡུན་རིང་གནས།
  • —

A ṛṣi present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 1.­32
g.­3

Abode of All Non-Buddhists

  • mu stegs thams cad kyi gnas
  • མུ་སྟེགས་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱི་གནས།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­103
g.­7

Admired by All Worlds

  • ’jig rten thams cad kyis mthong na dga’ ba
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་ཐམས་ཅད་ཀྱིས་མཐོང་ན་དགའ་བ།
  • —

The name of a Licchavi youth present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­48
  • 37.­50
  • 37.­63
  • 37.­89
  • 38.­11
  • 38.­15
g.­11

affliction

  • nyon mongs pa
  • ཉོན་མོངས་པ།
  • kleśa

Defiled mental or emotional states that disturb the mind. Said to number eighty-four thousand.

62 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­73-77
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­89
  • 1.­92
  • 1.­94-95
  • 1.­112
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­7-11
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­28
  • 2.­48-52
  • 2.­60
  • 6.­1-2
  • 6.­4-5
  • 8.­2
  • 13.­2
  • 16.­4
  • 24.­4
  • 38.­47
  • 38.­91
  • 38.­93
  • 38.­95
  • 38.­97-98
  • 38.­104-106
  • 38.­109
  • 38.­111-112
  • 38.­119
  • 38.­133
  • 38.­135-136
  • 38.­138
  • 38.­151
  • 38.­167
  • 38.­169-170
  • 38.­172
  • 38.­185
  • 38.­218
  • g.­79
  • g.­138
  • g.­515
g.­16

All Equal

  • thams cad mnyam pa
  • ཐམས་ཅད་མཉམ་པ།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­99
g.­18

Ānanda

  • kun dga’ bo
  • ཀུན་དགའ་བོ།
  • ānanda

The Buddha’s cousin and principal attendant, who is said to have memorized the sūtras.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­11
g.­26

Aśoka

  • mya ngan med
  • མྱ་ངན་མེད།
  • aśoka

The historical Indian king of the Maurya dynasty who ruled over most of India c. 268–232 ʙᴄᴇ. His name means “without sorrow.”

2 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8
  • 37.­85
g.­28

asura

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

A class or powerful nonhuman beings, sometimes called demigods, who are often portrayed as the enemies of the devas. One of the six classes of beings.

21 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­28-29
  • 1.­66
  • 1.­171
  • 24.­4
  • 37.­46
  • 37.­107
  • 38.­19
  • 38.­24
  • 38.­119
  • g.­25
  • g.­46
  • g.­101
  • g.­119
  • g.­135
  • g.­152
  • g.­392
  • g.­409
  • g.­418
  • g.­420
  • g.­482
g.­41

bhagavān

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

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

In Buddhist literature, an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in specifically Buddhist contexts it 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”).

297 passages contain this term:

  • i.­6
  • 1.­1-3
  • 1.­5
  • 1.­7
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­11
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­15
  • 1.­17
  • 1.­19
  • 1.­21
  • 1.­23
  • 1.­25
  • 1.­27
  • 1.­29
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­33-56
  • 1.­58-60
  • 1.­66-69
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­99-100
  • 1.­161-162
  • 1.­164
  • 1.­170
  • 1.­174
  • 1.­207
  • 1.­215
  • 1.­223
  • 1.­227-229
  • 2.­1-3
  • 2.­64-65
  • 3.­1-2
  • 3.­5
  • 4.­1-2
  • 4.­5
  • 5.­1-3
  • 6.­1-3
  • 7.­1-3
  • 8.­1-3
  • 9.­1-4
  • 10.­1-3
  • 11.­1-3
  • 12.­1-3
  • 13.­1-3
  • 14.­1-4
  • 15.­1-4
  • 16.­1-3
  • 17.­1-3
  • 18.­1-3
  • 19.­1-3
  • 20.­1-3
  • 21.­1-4
  • 22.­1-4
  • 23.­1-3
  • 24.­1-3
  • 25.­1-3
  • 26.­1-3
  • 27.­1-3
  • 28.­1-4
  • 29.­1-3
  • 30.­1-3
  • 31.­1-3
  • 32.­1-3
  • 33.­1-3
  • 34.­1-3
  • 35.­1-4
  • 36.­1-4
  • 37.­1-3
  • 37.­16
  • 37.­20-22
  • 37.­32-33
  • 37.­43
  • 37.­45
  • 37.­47-49
  • 37.­67
  • 37.­69
  • 37.­71-73
  • 37.­76
  • 37.­78-80
  • 37.­82-84
  • 37.­86-88
  • 37.­90-94
  • 37.­97
  • 37.­110-112
  • 37.­121
  • 37.­124
  • 38.­1-2
  • 38.­5-11
  • 38.­15
  • 38.­21-27
  • 38.­29
  • 38.­31
  • 38.­36-37
  • 38.­43
  • 38.­53-57
  • 38.­63
  • 38.­65
  • 38.­67
  • 38.­69
  • 38.­76
  • 38.­78
  • 38.­80
  • 38.­82-85
  • 38.­89-90
  • 38.­100-102
  • 38.­104-105
  • 38.­107
  • 38.­110
  • 38.­112
  • 38.­119-121
  • 38.­123-125
  • 38.­128
  • 38.­149
  • 38.­183
  • 38.­199-200
  • 38.­202-211
  • 38.­214-221
  • 38.­223
  • n.­28
g.­43

bhikṣu

  • dge slong
  • དགེ་སློང་།
  • bhikṣu

A male renunciant.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1-2
  • 1.­46
  • n.­28
  • n.­37
g.­45

bhūta

  • ’byung po
  • འབྱུང་པོ།
  • bhūta

A general term for ghosts or spirits.

15 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­24-25
  • 1.­66
  • 1.­171
  • 37.­25
  • g.­8
  • g.­10
  • g.­97
  • g.­141
  • g.­248
  • g.­277
  • g.­317
  • g.­462
  • g.­483
  • g.­510
g.­50

bodhisattva

  • byang chub sems dpa’
  • བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ།
  • bodhisattva

A being who has produced the intent to achieve full awakening for the benefit of sentient beings.

296 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­4-5
  • i.­7-9
  • i.­12
  • Chapter 1
  • 1.­4-5
  • 1.­13
  • 1.­67-69
  • 1.­72
  • 1.­74
  • 1.­86-87
  • 1.­99-100
  • 1.­108-143
  • 1.­160-162
  • 1.­217
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­7-8
  • 2.­20-21
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­48-49
  • 2.­61-63
  • 3.­1
  • 3.­3-4
  • 36.­2
  • 37.­21
  • 37.­24-25
  • 37.­36
  • 37.­40-41
  • 37.­45-46
  • 37.­74-75
  • 37.­88
  • 37.­107-108
  • 37.­121
  • 38.­11
  • 38.­13
  • 38.­18
  • 38.­22-25
  • 38.­29-30
  • 38.­32-36
  • 38.­40
  • 38.­48
  • 38.­52-56
  • 38.­58-60
  • 38.­62-68
  • 38.­70-72
  • 38.­74
  • 38.­76-77
  • 38.­81
  • 38.­85
  • 38.­87-90
  • 38.­99
  • 38.­103
  • 38.­109
  • 38.­111-112
  • 38.­116-117
  • 38.­120
  • 38.­123-141
  • 38.­145-157
  • 38.­159-160
  • 38.­162-175
  • 38.­179-191
  • 38.­193-194
  • 38.­196-198
  • 38.­202-207
  • 38.­209
  • 38.­216
  • 38.­219
  • 38.­221
  • n.­28
  • n.­30-31
  • n.­47-48
  • n.­52
  • n.­58
  • n.­60
  • n.­64
  • g.­107
  • g.­181
  • g.­182
  • g.­183
  • g.­184
  • g.­185
  • g.­186
  • g.­187
  • g.­188
  • g.­189
  • g.­190
  • g.­191
  • g.­192
  • g.­193
  • g.­194
  • g.­195
  • g.­196
  • g.­197
  • g.­198
  • g.­199
  • g.­200
  • g.­201
  • g.­202
  • g.­203
  • g.­204
  • g.­205
  • g.­206
  • g.­207
  • g.­208
  • g.­209
  • g.­210
  • g.­211
  • g.­212
  • g.­213
  • g.­214
  • g.­215
  • g.­216
  • g.­217
  • g.­218
  • g.­219
  • g.­220
  • g.­221
  • g.­222
  • g.­223
  • g.­224
  • g.­225
  • g.­226
  • g.­227
  • g.­228
  • g.­229
  • g.­230
  • g.­231
  • g.­232
  • g.­233
  • g.­234
  • g.­235
  • g.­236
  • g.­237
  • g.­238
  • g.­239
  • g.­240
  • g.­241
  • g.­242
  • g.­243
  • g.­244
  • g.­245
  • g.­246
  • g.­286
  • g.­337
  • g.­394
g.­51

Brahmā

  • tshangs pa
  • ཚངས་པ།
  • brahmā

One of the principal gods in the Vedic pantheon.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­66
  • 1.­171
  • 37.­25
  • 37.­30
  • 38.­75
  • 38.­118
  • g.­52
g.­58

cakravartin

  • khor los sgyur ba’i rgyal po
  • ཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • cakravartin

A king who rules over at least one continent and gains his territory by the rolling of his magic wheel over the land. He is therefore called a king with the revolving wheel. This is the result of the merit he has accumulated in previous lifetimes. He is often portrayed as the secular counterpart to a buddha.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­88
  • 38.­142
  • 38.­176
  • g.­264
g.­68

Cloud Protector

  • sprin gyi bsrungs
  • སྤྲིན་གྱི་བསྲུངས།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­102
g.­70

conqueror

  • rgyal ba
  • རྒྱལ་བ།
  • jina

An epithet for a buddha.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­178
  • 13.­2
  • 25.­4
  • 38.­3
g.­79

defilement

  • zag pa
  • ཟག་པ།
  • āsrava

A flaw or taint, often used synonymously with “affliction.”

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 4.­3
g.­87

Devadatta

  • lha sbyin
  • ལྷ་སྦྱིན།
  • devadatta

A cousin of the Buddha Śākyamuni, generally portrayed as a jealous rival who committed hostile acts against the Buddha in attempt to usurp his leadership.

17 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­8
  • 37.­32-34
  • 37.­36-42
  • 37.­45
  • n.­22-23
  • n.­28-29
g.­88

devaputra

  • lha’i bu
  • ལྷའི་བུ།
  • devaputra

“Gods,” long-lived celestial beings. One of the six classes of beings.

91 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­8-9
  • 1.­34-35
  • 1.­42
  • 1.­55
  • 2.­64
  • 4.­5
  • 7.­3
  • 9.­3
  • 10.­3
  • 21.­3
  • 22.­3
  • 23.­3
  • 24.­3
  • 25.­3
  • 26.­3
  • 28.­3
  • 29.­3
  • 30.­3
  • 31.­3
  • 36.­3
  • 37.­1
  • 37.­5
  • 37.­94
  • 37.­96
  • 37.­112-115
  • 37.­122
  • 38.­1-10
  • 38.­42
  • n.­41
  • g.­1
  • g.­20
  • g.­37
  • g.­40
  • g.­63
  • g.­67
  • g.­69
  • g.­74
  • g.­81
  • g.­84
  • g.­98
  • g.­110
  • g.­117
  • g.­120
  • g.­124
  • g.­161
  • g.­166
  • g.­171
  • g.­179
  • g.­252
  • g.­253
  • g.­265
  • g.­269
  • g.­275
  • g.­287
  • g.­296
  • g.­297
  • g.­299
  • g.­309
  • g.­328
  • g.­334
  • g.­345
  • g.­359
  • g.­360
  • g.­379
  • g.­396
  • g.­397
  • g.­402
  • g.­404
  • g.­405
  • g.­417
  • g.­453
  • g.­454
  • g.­466
  • g.­470
  • g.­472
  • g.­477
  • g.­504
g.­89

dhāraṇī

  • gzungs
  • གཟུངས།
  • dhāraṇī

A type of incantation. Also used to refer to the mental capacity to retain teachings that one has heard and to mnemonic devices used to aid such retention.

23 passages contain this term:

  • i.­6
  • 1.­69
  • 1.­96
  • 1.­103-105
  • 1.­109
  • 1.­160
  • 1.­216
  • 2.­2
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­45
  • 3.­1-4
  • 3.­7-8
  • 6.­2
  • 37.­2
  • 37.­9
  • 38.­26
  • 38.­28
g.­90

Dharma body

  • chos sku
  • ཆོས་སྐུ།
  • dharmakāya

The Buddha as the embodiment of his teachings, the all-encompassing aspect of absolute reality.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­72
  • 1.­90
  • 1.­210
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­47
  • 23.­4
  • 37.­69
  • 38.­70
g.­94

Dharma realm

  • chos kyi dbyings
  • ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས།
  • dharmadhātu

The realm of the ultimate reality of the emptiness of all phenomena.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­31
  • 37.­69
  • 38.­64
  • 38.­197
g.­96

discipline

  • tshul khrims
  • ཚུལ་ཁྲིམས།
  • śīla

Upholding ethical conduct of body, speech, and mind. Second of the six or ten perfections.

42 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­64-66
  • 1.­72
  • 1.­76
  • 1.­81-82
  • 2.­7
  • 2.­10
  • 2.­15-16
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­35
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­48
  • 2.­51
  • 2.­56-57
  • 17.­2
  • 25.­2
  • 37.­26
  • 37.­35
  • 37.­79
  • 37.­88
  • 38.­2
  • 38.­4
  • 38.­10
  • 38.­12
  • 38.­48
  • 38.­51-53
  • 38.­60
  • 38.­85-87
  • 38.­213
  • 38.­216
  • g.­338
  • g.­474
g.­103

eight liberations

  • rnam par thar pa brgyad
  • རྣམ་པར་ཐར་པ་བརྒྱད།
  • aṣṭavimokṣa

Eight stages in the pursuit of liberation. One common formulation of these stages is: (1) the liberation of viewing form while internally possessing the notion of form; (2) the liberation of viewing form while internally free from the notion of form; (3) the liberation of observing the sublime; (4) the liberation of the sensory sphere of infinite space; (5) the liberation of the sensory sphere of infinite consciousness; (6) the liberation of the sensory sphere of nothingness; (7) the liberation of the sensory sphere in which there are neither concepts nor the absence of concepts; (8) the liberation of the cessation of concepts and feelings.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 1.­1
g.­106

emanation body

  • sprul pa’i sku
  • སྤྲུལ་པའི་སྐུ།
  • nirmāṇakāya

The aspect of the Buddha that appears to ordinary sentient beings.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 23.­2
  • 37.­67
  • 38.­68
g.­121

eon

  • bskal pa
  • བསྐལ་པ།
  • kalpa

A cosmic period of time. According to the traditional Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great eon (mahākalpa) is divided into eighty lesser or intermediate eons. In the course of one great eon, the external universe and its sentient life takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser eons, the universe is in the process of creation and expansion (vivartakalpa); during the next twenty it remains created; during the third twenty it is in the process of destruction or contraction (saṃvartakalpa); and during the last quarter of the cycle it remains in a state of destruction (saṃvarta­sthāyi­kalpa).

55 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­217
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­60
  • 17.­2
  • 37.­28
  • 37.­37
  • 37.­73
  • 38.­16
  • 38.­22-23
  • 38.­110-111
  • 38.­131-132
  • 38.­134-141
  • 38.­145-146
  • 38.­154-155
  • 38.­161
  • 38.­165-166
  • 38.­168-175
  • 38.­179-180
  • 38.­188-189
  • 38.­195
  • 38.­209
  • 38.­218
  • 38.­220
  • g.­130
  • g.­146
  • g.­157
  • g.­280
  • g.­316
  • g.­406
  • g.­414
  • g.­447
g.­124

Essence of Inexhaustible Intellect

  • blo gros mi zad pa’i snying po
  • བློ་གྲོས་མི་ཟད་པའི་སྙིང་པོ།
  • —

A devaputra present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­5
g.­126

Essence of Stainless Light

  • dri ma med pa’i snying po
  • དྲི་མ་མེད་པའི་སྙིང་པོ།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­100
g.­138

five degeneracies

  • snyigs ma lnga
  • སྙིགས་མ་ལྔ།
  • pañcakaṣāya

Five aspects of life that indicate the degenerate nature of a given age. They are the impurities of views, of afflictions, of sentient beings, of lifespan, and of time.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­106
g.­142

Flower Victory Banner

  • me tog gi rgyal mtshan
  • མེ་ཏོག་གི་རྒྱལ་མཚན།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­104
g.­148

four elements

  • khams bzhi
  • ཁམས་བཞི།
  • caturdhātu 

The four elements‍—earth, water, fire, and wind‍—that make up all physical objects, including the body.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­93
  • 37.­27
g.­150

Four Great Kings

  • rgyal chen bzhi
  • རྒྱལ་ཆེན་བཞི།
  • caturmahārāja

The four divine guardians of the four cardinal directions (See “Four World Guardians”).

5 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­45
  • 38.­197
  • g.­154
  • g.­498
  • g.­514
g.­151

four means of gathering disciples

  • bsdu ba’i dngos po bzhi
  • བསྡུ་བའི་དངོས་པོ་བཞི།
  • catuḥ­saṃgraha­vastu

Four ways of attracting people to the Buddhist teachings: charity, kind words, beneficial conduct, and practicing what one preaches.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­24
g.­156

Fragrant Mountain

  • ri bo spos
  • རི་བོ་སྤོས།
  • gandhamādana

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­62
g.­160

gandharva

  • dri za
  • དྲི་ཟ།
  • gandharva

A class of nonhuman beings known particularly for their musical abilities.

17 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­16-17
  • 1.­50
  • 1.­66
  • 1.­82
  • 1.­171
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­57
  • 37.­46
  • 38.­119
  • g.­114
  • g.­115
  • g.­125
  • g.­145
  • g.­154
  • g.­295
  • g.­358
g.­161

Gandharva King Delightful Appearance

  • mthong na dga’ ba dri za’i rgyal po
  • མཐོང་ན་དགའ་བ་དྲི་ཟའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • —

A devaputra present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni

16 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­8
  • 37.­112-115
  • 37.­117
  • 38.­10-11
  • 38.­13-16
  • 38.­18-21
g.­162

Ganges

  • gang gA
  • གང་གཱ།
  • gaṅgā

The sacred river of North India.

16 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­162
  • 2.­22
  • 37.­8
  • 37.­13
  • 37.­46
  • 37.­51
  • 37.­98-105
  • 38.­32-33
g.­167

garuḍa

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

A class of nonhuman bird-like beings.

28 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­14-15
  • 1.­66
  • 1.­130
  • 1.­171
  • 2.­23
  • 24.­1-2
  • 24.­5
  • 38.­24
  • 38.­118-119
  • 38.­223
  • g.­30
  • g.­34
  • g.­38
  • g.­78
  • g.­91
  • g.­116
  • g.­118
  • g.­144
  • g.­176
  • g.­180
  • g.­335
  • g.­388
  • g.­421
  • g.­423
  • g.­448
g.­168

Gautama

  • gau ta ma
  • གཽ་ཏ་མ།
  • gautama

The family name of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­3-4
  • 38.­155
  • 38.­189
g.­174

gnosis

  • ye shes
  • ཡེ་ཤེས།
  • jñāna

Direct knowledge of emptiness and ultimate reality.

68 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­76-77
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­95
  • 1.­98-99
  • 1.­102
  • 1.­106
  • 1.­109
  • 1.­113-114
  • 1.­123
  • 1.­138-139
  • 1.­162
  • 1.­177
  • 2.­10-11
  • 2.­18
  • 2.­22
  • 2.­30
  • 2.­33-37
  • 2.­51-52
  • 2.­59
  • 3.­1-2
  • 3.­4
  • 3.­6
  • 7.­1-2
  • 7.­4-5
  • 8.­1-2
  • 8.­4-5
  • 10.­5
  • 11.­2
  • 13.­2
  • 17.­1-2
  • 17.­4-5
  • 21.­4
  • 24.­4
  • 27.­4
  • 28.­2
  • 29.­2
  • 32.­1-2
  • 32.­4-5
  • 33.­1-2
  • 33.­5
  • 36.­2
  • 37.­24
  • 37.­30
  • 37.­65
  • 38.­198-199
  • g.­474
g.­194

Great Cloud Essence

  • sprin chen snying po
  • སྤྲིན་ཆེན་སྙིང་པོ།
  • —

The name of a bodhisattva in this discourse.

208 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­4-9
  • i.­12
  • 1.­4
  • 1.­67-69
  • 1.­87
  • 1.­98-163
  • 2.­1
  • 2.­3-4
  • 2.­20-21
  • 2.­61-63
  • 3.­1-3
  • 4.­1-3
  • 5.­1-2
  • 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
  • 36.­1-2
  • 37.­21-25
  • 37.­31
  • 37.­34
  • 37.­45-46
  • 38.­12
  • 38.­25-26
  • 38.­28
  • 38.­30
  • 38.­32-44
  • 38.­46-48
  • 38.­53-56
  • 38.­58-60
  • 38.­62
  • 38.­64
  • 38.­66
  • 38.­68
  • 38.­70-75
  • 38.­79
  • 38.­81
  • 38.­85
  • 38.­88-89
  • 38.­92
  • 38.­94
  • 38.­96
  • 38.­98-99
  • 38.­102-103
  • 38.­109
  • 38.­111-113
  • 38.­116
  • 38.­120-125
  • 38.­127
  • 38.­198-199
  • 38.­202
  • 38.­205
  • 38.­208
  • 38.­214-216
  • 38.­220
  • 38.­223
g.­247

Great Diligent Nāga

  • brtson ’grus chen po’i klu
  • བརྩོན་འགྲུས་ཆེན་པོའི་ཀླུ།
  • —

A Dharma king during the time of the buddha Lamp of the Nāga Family.

11 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­75-79
  • 37.­86
  • 37.­88-89
  • 38.­15
  • g.­426
  • g.­456
g.­255

Great Name

  • ming chen
  • མིང་ཆེན།
  • —

A disciple of the tathāgata Lamp of the Nāga Family.

6 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­77
  • 37.­80
  • 37.­90-93
g.­260

great trichiliocosm world-system

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

The largest measure of the universe as comprised of a billion smaller world-systems.

12 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­167
  • 37.­46
  • 38.­40
  • 38.­118-119
  • 38.­124-128
  • 38.­201
  • 38.­218
g.­262

group of six monks

  • drug sde
  • དྲུག་སྡེ།
  • ṣaḍvargika

A group of six monks who are portrayed in Vinaya texts as constantly pushing the limits of the disciplinary rules established for the monastic community.

5 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8
  • 37.­32
  • 37.­34
  • 37.­36
  • n.­28
g.­264

Half-cakravartin

  • phyed kyi ’khor los sgyur ba’i rgyal po
  • ཕྱེད་ཀྱི་འཁོར་ལོས་སྒྱུར་བའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • ardha­cakravartin

A king who rules over only half the area of a full cakravartin.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­83
  • 37.­85
g.­266

Heaven of the Thirty-Three

  • sum cu rtsa gsum pa
  • སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གསུམ་པ།
  • trāyastriṃśa

The second of the six heavens in the desire realm, it is ruled by Indra and thirty-two other gods.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­34
  • 37.­45
  • 37.­49
  • 38.­197
  • g.­281
  • g.­331
  • g.­429
g.­267

hell realms

  • sems can dmyal ba
  • སེམས་ཅན་དམྱལ་བ།
  • naraka
  • nāraka

A set of subterranean prisons whose denizens undergo various tortures as retribution for their misdeeds. Also, a denizen of those realms, one of the six classes of beings.

16 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­63
  • 1.­75
  • 1.­204-205
  • 2.­9
  • 2.­37
  • 2.­50
  • 37.­32
  • 37.­36-39
  • 37.­107
  • 38.­118
  • n.­28
  • g.­476
g.­278

householder

  • khyim bdag
  • ཁྱིམ་བདག
  • gṛhapati

Someone who is not a renunciant.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­37
  • 1.­83
  • 2.­17
  • 2.­39
  • 2.­58
  • 37.­26
  • 37.­30
g.­285

Inexhaustible Intellect

  • blo gros mi zad pa
  • བློ་གྲོས་མི་ཟད་པ།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­98
g.­289

irreversibility

  • phyir mi ldog pa
  • ཕྱིར་མི་ལྡོག་པ།
  • avinivartanīya

A stage in the gradual progression toward buddhahood, from which one will no longer regress to lower states.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­109
  • 3.­1-4
g.­291

Jambudvīpa

  • dzam bu’i gling
  • ཛམ་བུའི་གླིང་།
  • jambudvīpa

The southern continent of the human realm according to Buddhist cosmology.

48 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­168-169
  • 1.­171
  • 1.­200
  • 37.­74
  • 38.­2
  • 38.­4
  • 38.­40
  • 38.­127
  • 38.­129-159
  • 38.­162
  • 38.­197
  • 38.­205
  • 38.­213
  • 38.­216
  • 38.­218
  • n.­63
  • g.­316
g.­293

Jewel Protector

  • rin chen skyong
  • རིན་ཆེན་སྐྱོང་།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­105
g.­300

Joyful Faith in the Sacred Dharma

  • dam pa’i chos la dga’ mos
  • དམ་པའི་ཆོས་ལ་དགའ་མོས།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­102
g.­301

Joyful Mind

  • yid bde ba
  • ཡིད་བདེ་བ།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­100
g.­303

Kātyāyanī

  • kA t+yA
  • ཀཱ་ཏྱཱ།
  • kātyāyanī

Another name for the goddess Durga.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­25
  • g.­304
g.­304

Kātyāyanīputra

  • kA t+yA’i bu
  • ཀཱ་ཏྱཱའི་བུ།
  • kātyāyanīputra

See “Kātyāyanī.”

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­25
g.­305

Kauṇḍinya

  • kauN+Di n+ya
  • ཀཽཎྜི་ནྱ།
  • kauṇḍinya

A brahmin described as a master grammarian.

27 passages contain this term:

  • s.­1
  • i.­3
  • i.­8
  • 37.­32
  • 37.­34
  • 37.­47-48
  • 37.­50
  • 37.­63
  • 37.­83
  • 37.­97-111
  • n.­21
  • n.­32
g.­308

King of Lion’s Play

  • seng ge rnam par rol pa’i rgyal po
  • སེང་གེ་རྣམ་པར་རོལ་པའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­103
g.­314

Kumāra

  • gzhon nu
  • གཞོན་ནུ།
  • kumāra 

Another name for Kārttikeya, the son of Śiva, also known as Skanda.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­25
g.­316

Lamp of the Nāga Family

  • klu rigs sgron ma
  • ཀླུ་རིགས་སྒྲོན་མ།
  • —

A tathāgata in Jambudvīpa in a past eon.

9 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­73
  • 37.­75-78
  • 37.­93
  • 38.­15
  • g.­247
  • g.­255
g.­318

latent karmic tendencies

  • bag chags
  • བག་ཆགས།
  • vāsanā

Subconscious tendencies, reinforced by karmic patterns, that predispose individuals to particular patterns of behavior.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­37
g.­321

Licchavi

  • lid tsha bI
  • ལིད་ཚ་བཱི།
  • licchavi

The name of a city-state, whose capital was Vaiśālī, and the ruling clan that dwelt there.

47 passages contain this term:

  • i.­3
  • i.­8
  • 1.­6-7
  • 37.­48-50
  • 37.­63
  • 37.­89
  • 38.­11
  • 38.­15
  • n.­32
  • g.­7
  • g.­9
  • g.­57
  • g.­71
  • g.­72
  • g.­92
  • g.­93
  • g.­95
  • g.­99
  • g.­100
  • g.­122
  • g.­131
  • g.­132
  • g.­163
  • g.­164
  • g.­178
  • g.­251
  • g.­282
  • g.­283
  • g.­288
  • g.­313
  • g.­322
  • g.­324
  • g.­329
  • g.­333
  • g.­369
  • g.­370
  • g.­372
  • g.­387
  • g.­400
  • g.­444
  • g.­452
  • g.­458
  • g.­492
  • g.­501
g.­337

Mahākapila

  • ser po chen po
  • སེར་པོ་ཆེན་པོ།
  • mahākapila

The name of a bodhisattva present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­40-41
g.­338

Mahākāśyapa

  • ’od srung chen po
  • འོད་སྲུང་ཆེན་པོ།
  • mahākāśyapa

One of the Buddha Śākyamuni’s foremost disciples. Known for his prowess in ascetic discipline, he became the head of the monastic community after the Buddha Śākyamuni passed into parinirvāṇa.

14 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1-2
  • 37.­93
  • 37.­113-116
  • 37.­118
  • 37.­120
  • 37.­122
  • 38.­1
  • 38.­4
  • 38.­8
  • 38.­10
g.­340

Maheśvara

  • dbang phyug chen po
  • དབང་ཕྱུག་ཆེན་པོ།
  • maheśvara

Epithet of Śiva.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­42
  • 37.­25
g.­342

makara

  • chu srin
  • ཆུ་སྲིན།
  • makara

A mythical sea monster.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­70
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­45
  • 37.­46
g.­347

Manifest Clarity

  • mngon par dang ba
  • མངོན་པར་དང་བ།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­98
g.­352

māra

  • bdud
  • བདུད།
  • māra

The deities ruled over by Māra.

28 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­44
  • 1.­69
  • 1.­74
  • 1.­85
  • 1.­204
  • 2.­4
  • 2.­8
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­23
  • 2.­45
  • 2.­49
  • 2.­60
  • 29.­4
  • 37.­31-32
  • 37.­36
  • 37.­44
  • 38.­5
  • 38.­9
  • 38.­13-14
  • 38.­23
  • 38.­151
  • 38.­162
  • 38.­185
  • 38.­196
  • 38.­219
  • g.­159
g.­355

Maurya

  • mo’u r+ya
  • མོའུ་རྱ།
  • maurya

Ancient Indian dynasty, c. 321–185 ʙᴄᴇ, whose empire covered most of India.

3 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8
  • 37.­83
  • g.­26
g.­357

meditative absorption

  • bsam gtan
  • བསམ་གཏན།
  • dhyāna

A state of one-pointed mental concentration. Fifth of the six or ten perfections.

8 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 2.­33
  • 2.­42-43
  • 38.­148
  • 38.­182
  • g.­52
  • g.­474
g.­363

Mount Meru

  • ri rab
  • རི་རབ།
  • meru
  • sumeru

In Buddhist cosmology, the mountain at the center of a world system surrounded by the four continents.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­42
  • 1.­55
  • 2.­24
  • 37.­45
  • 38.­1
  • 38.­24
  • 38.­40
g.­367

nāga

  • klu
  • ཀླུ།
  • nāga

A class of nonhuman serpentine beings. They can change their shape and are usually said to reside in water.

18 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­66
  • 1.­82
  • 1.­167
  • 1.­171
  • 1.­188
  • 1.­212
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­43
  • 2.­57
  • 37.­46
  • 37.­108
  • 37.­111
  • 38.­118-119
  • 38.­223
  • g.­154
  • g.­371
  • g.­439
g.­371

nāga king

  • klu’i rgyal po
  • ཀླུའི་རྒྱལ་པོ།
  • nāgarāja

A king among the nāga.

30 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­10-11
  • 2.­26
  • 6.­3
  • 10.­2
  • 24.­2
  • n.­19
  • g.­4
  • g.­19
  • g.­36
  • g.­54
  • g.­64
  • g.­65
  • g.­165
  • g.­175
  • g.­274
  • g.­344
  • g.­351
  • g.­377
  • g.­381
  • g.­390
  • g.­427
  • g.­428
  • g.­435
  • g.­436
  • g.­441
  • g.­445
  • g.­459
  • g.­473
  • g.­505
g.­374

nirgrantha

  • gcer bu pa
  • གཅེར་བུ་པ།
  • nirgrantha

Followers of the teacher Nirgrantha Jñātiputra, a contemporary of the Buddha Śākyamuni. Usually understood to refer to Jains.

4 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­89
  • 38.­43
  • 38.­45
  • n.­22
g.­375

non-Buddhist

  • mu stegs
  • མུ་སྟེགས།
  • tīrthika

Originally used to refer to other renunciant orders that were contemporary with that of the Buddha Śākyamuni, generally used to refer to any proponent of non-Buddhist teachings.

21 passages contain this term:

  • i.­7
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­71
  • 1.­82
  • 1.­157
  • 2.­5
  • 2.­16
  • 2.­38
  • 2.­46
  • 2.­57
  • 37.­26
  • 37.­78-79
  • 37.­88
  • 37.­109
  • 38.­144
  • 38.­178
  • 38.­213
  • 38.­219
  • n.­69
  • g.­60
g.­383

parinirvāṇa

  • mya ngan las ’das pa
  • མྱ་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
  • parinirvāṇa

The final attainment of release from cyclic existence.

46 passages contain this term:

  • i.­1
  • 1.­72
  • 1.­77
  • 1.­86
  • 1.­88
  • 1.­95-96
  • 1.­163
  • 2.­6
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­19
  • 2.­47
  • 2.­52
  • 2.­60
  • 22.­4
  • 37.­31
  • 37.­79
  • 37.­113
  • 37.­115-119
  • 37.­123
  • 37.­125
  • 38.­1
  • 38.­22-23
  • 38.­87
  • 38.­91
  • 38.­93
  • 38.­95
  • 38.­97-98
  • 38.­113
  • 38.­117
  • 38.­159-161
  • 38.­193-195
  • 38.­211
  • 38.­214
  • 38.­216
  • g.­338
g.­384

Pinnacle of Guarding All Sacred Dharmas

  • dam pa’i chos kun tu srung ba’i tog tu gyur pa
  • དམ་པའི་ཆོས་ཀུན་ཏུ་སྲུང་བའི་ཏོག་ཏུ་གྱུར་པ།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­105
g.­394

pratimokṣa vows

  • so sor thar pa’i sdom pa
  • སོ་སོར་ཐར་པའི་སྡོམ་པ།
  • prātimokśasaṃvara

The vows or rules of conduct for those who pursue liberation, sometimes contrasted with the bodhisattva vows.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­36
  • 38.­12
g.­395

pratyekabuddha

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

A “solitary buddha” who pursues nirvāṇa on their own, without a teacher.

28 passages contain this term:

  • i.­1
  • Chapter 1
  • 1.­94-95
  • 1.­98
  • 1.­106-107
  • 1.­161
  • 37.­34-35
  • 37.­39-40
  • 37.­42
  • 37.­45
  • 37.­49
  • 37.­106
  • 37.­121
  • 38.­22
  • 38.­29
  • 38.­38
  • 38.­40
  • 38.­115
  • 38.­158
  • 38.­192
  • 38.­198
  • 38.­219
  • n.­24
  • n.­26
g.­399

Precious Victory Banner

  • rin chen rgyal mtshan
  • རིན་ཆེན་རྒྱལ་མཚན།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­99
g.­409

Rāhu

  • sgra gcan
  • སྒྲ་གཅན།
  • rāhu

An asura who is said to cause eclipses.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­56
g.­410

Rāhula

  • sgra gcan
  • sgra gcan zin
  • སྒྲ་གཅན།
  • སྒྲ་གཅན་ཟིན།
  • rāhula

The son of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­219
  • 37.­47
  • 38.­16
g.­411

Rājagṛha

  • rgyal po’i khab
  • རྒྱལ་པོའི་ཁབ།
  • rājagṛha

The capital of the ancient Indian kingdom of Magadha and site of many of the Buddha’s teachings.

13 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­46
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­180
  • 1.­186
  • 1.­198-199
  • 37.­74
  • g.­32
  • g.­447
  • g.­508
g.­416

Renowned for Delightful Magical Manifestations

  • rnam par ’phrul pas dang bar byed pa’i grags pa
  • རྣམ་པར་འཕྲུལ་པས་དང་བར་བྱེད་པའི་གྲགས་པ།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­101
g.­424

Sacred

  • dam pa
  • དམ་པ།
  • —

See “Sacred Goddess Who Upholds the Teachings and Delights in the Great Vehicle.”

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­76
  • 37.­88
g.­425

Sacred Goddess

  • dam pa lha mo
  • དམ་པ་ལྷ་མོ།
  • —

See “Sacred Goddess Who Upholds the Teachings and Delights in the Great Vehicle.”

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­79
g.­426

Sacred Goddess Who Upholds the Teachings and Delights in the Great Vehicle

  • dam pa lha mo theg pa chen po la rab tu dga’ bar sems pa bstan pa ’dzin pa
  • དམ་པ་ལྷ་མོ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ལ་རབ་ཏུ་དགའ་བར་སེམས་པ་བསྟན་པ་འཛིན་པ།
  • —

A queen of the Dharma king Great Diligent Nāga.

3 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­75
  • g.­424
  • g.­425
g.­429

Śakra

  • brgya byin
  • བརྒྱ་བྱིན།
  • śakra

Chief of the gods who reside in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Also known as Indra.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­34
  • 1.­66
  • 1.­171
  • 37.­30
  • 38.­118
  • 38.­197
  • g.­281
g.­430

Śākya

  • shAkya
  • ཤཱཀྱ།
  • śākya

Name of the clan into which the Buddha Śākyamuni was born.

7 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­106
  • 1.­172
  • 37.­32
  • 37.­35-36
  • 37.­73
  • 38.­11
g.­431

samādhi

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

A state of meditative concentration or absorption.

144 passages contain this term:

  • i.­5
  • i.­7
  • 1.­9
  • 1.­31
  • 1.­69
  • 1.­96
  • 1.­103-105
  • 1.­108
  • 1.­160
  • 1.­175
  • 1.­216
  • 2.­2-4
  • 2.­20-45
  • 2.­61-63
  • 2.­66
  • 24.­4
  • 37.­2
  • 37.­10
  • 37.­16
  • 37.­21
  • 37.­24-25
  • 37.­31
  • 37.­45-46
  • 37.­88
  • 37.­107
  • 37.­125
  • 38.­14
  • 38.­25-26
  • 38.­28-30
  • 38.­32-41
  • 38.­43
  • 38.­45-48
  • 38.­52-60
  • 38.­62-68
  • 38.­70-77
  • 38.­81
  • 38.­85
  • 38.­87-91
  • 38.­93
  • 38.­95
  • 38.­97
  • 38.­99
  • 38.­103
  • 38.­109
  • 38.­111-112
  • 38.­115-117
  • 38.­123-129
  • 38.­136
  • 38.­148
  • 38.­170
  • 38.­182
  • 38.­198
  • 38.­205
  • 38.­207
  • 38.­209
  • n.­43-46
  • n.­49
  • n.­52
  • n.­60
g.­434

seven precious substances

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

The list of seven precious substances varies. They can be gold, silver, turquoise, coral, pearl, emerald, and sapphire; or they may be ruby, sapphire, beryl, emerald, diamond, pearls, and coral.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­74
  • 38.­42
g.­440

sixteen great occupations

  • las chen po bcu drug
  • ལས་ཆེན་པོ་བཅུ་དྲུག
  • —

See “sixteen great inexpiable occupations.”

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­26
g.­447

Source of Jewels

  • rin chen ’byung gnas
  • རིན་ཆེན་འབྱུང་གནས།
  • —

The name of the city of Rājagṛha in a past eon.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­74-75
g.­449

śrāvaka

  • nyan thos
  • ཉན་ཐོས།
  • śrāvaka

A disciple of the Buddha, usually used to refer to those who are not followers of the Great Vehicle.

55 passages contain this term:

  • i.­1
  • i.­7
  • Chapter 1
  • 1.­49-50
  • 1.­94-95
  • 1.­98
  • 1.­106-107
  • 1.­161
  • 1.­202
  • 4.­6
  • 31.­4
  • 37.­34-35
  • 37.­39-40
  • 37.­42
  • 37.­45
  • 37.­49
  • 37.­77
  • 37.­80
  • 37.­89
  • 37.­93
  • 37.­106
  • 37.­121
  • 38.­4
  • 38.­6
  • 38.­9
  • 38.­12-15
  • 38.­18-22
  • 38.­24
  • 38.­29
  • 38.­38
  • 38.­40
  • 38.­113
  • 38.­115
  • 38.­158
  • 38.­192
  • 38.­198
  • 38.­219
  • n.­24
  • n.­26
  • n.­29
  • g.­149
  • g.­255
  • g.­338
g.­451

Stainless Light

  • dri ma med pa’i ’od
  • དྲི་མ་མེད་པའི་འོད།
  • vimalaprabhā

The name of a goddess in this text.

11 passages contain this term:

  • i.­8-9
  • 37.­71
  • 38.­121
  • 38.­198-199
  • 38.­207-211
g.­456

Storehouse of the Domain of the Sacred Dharma

  • dam pa’i chos kyi dkyil ’khor gyi mdzod
  • དམ་པའི་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་གྱི་མཛོད།
  • —

A minister of the Dharma king Great Diligent Nāga.

5 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­75-77
  • 37.­79
  • 37.­83
g.­468

Superior King of Sumeru

  • lhun po’i rgyal po mngon par ’phags
  • ལྷུན་པོའི་རྒྱལ་པོ་མངོན་པར་འཕགས།
  • —

A buddha in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­104
g.­469

superknowledge

  • mngon par shes pa
  • མངོན་པར་ཤེས་པ།
  • abhijñā

Extrasensory powers that come at higher levels of meditative cultivation. Usually said to number five (see “five superknowledges”).

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 37.­36
g.­470

Supreme Club

  • dbyug mchog
  • དབྱུག་མཆོག
  • —

A devaputra present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­94
g.­472

Swift Intellect

  • blo gros myur ldan
  • བློ་གྲོས་མྱུར་ལྡན།
  • —

A devaputra present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 37.­1
  • 37.­5
g.­495

Utter Joy

  • rab tu dga’ ba
  • རབ་ཏུ་དགའ་བ།
  • —

A world system in the southern direction.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­101
g.­497

Vaipulya

  • shin tu rgyas pa
  • ཤིན་ཏུ་རྒྱས་པ།
  • vaipulya

Meaning “extremely extensive,” this is one of the twelve branches of Buddhist scriptures and also a common term for the Great Vehicle discourses.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­172
  • 3.­1
g.­499

vajra

  • rdo rje
  • རྡོ་རྗེ།
  • vajra

A substance that is immutable and indestructible. The thunderbolt, weapon of the god Indra.

19 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­76-78
  • 1.­123
  • 2.­3
  • 2.­11
  • 2.­52
  • 3.­6
  • 17.­1-2
  • 17.­4-5
  • 24.­4
  • 37.­23
  • 37.­67
  • 37.­110
  • 37.­115
  • 38.­14
  • g.­500
g.­505

Vāsuki

  • nor rgyas kyi bu
  • ནོར་རྒྱས་ཀྱི་བུ།
  • vāsuki

A nāga king present in the assembly of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

2 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­10
  • 24.­2
g.­506

Veyi

  • be yi
  • བེ་ཡི།
  • veyi

A city in the future.

1 passage contains this term:

  • 37.­88
g.­508

Vulture Peak

  • bya rgod kyi phung po’i ri
  • བྱ་རྒོད་ཀྱི་ཕུང་པོའི་རི།
  • gṛdhrakūṭa-parvata

A mountain near Rājagṛha, it is the setting for many discourses.

10 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­43
  • 1.­46
  • 1.­56
  • 1.­58-60
  • 1.­169
  • 1.­180
  • 1.­183
g.­512

wisdom

  • shes rab
  • ཤེས་རབ།
  • prajñā

The wisdom that comes from understanding emptiness and realizing ultimate reality. Sixth of the six or ten perfections.

13 passages contain this term:

  • 1.­1
  • 1.­95
  • 1.­99
  • 1.­106
  • 24.­4
  • 37.­24
  • 38.­2-3
  • 38.­45
  • 38.­52
  • 38.­155
  • 38.­189
  • g.­474
g.­514

world guardian

  • ’jig rten skyong
  • ’jig rten skyong ba
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་སྐྱོང་།
  • འཇིག་རྟེན་སྐྱོང་བ།
  • lokapāla

A class of guardian deities. Sometimes used to refer to the Four Great Kings (see “Four World Guardians”).

4 passages contain this term: