Describing the Benefits of Producing Representations of the Thus-Gone One

Omniscient one who sees and knows everything. Epithet of a buddha.

An important early site for the Buddha’s growing community. Anāthapiṇḍada, a wealthy patron of the Buddha, purchased the park, located outside Śrāvastī, at great cost, purportedly covering the ground with gold, and donated it to the saṅgha. It was there that the Buddha spent several rainy seasons and gave discourses that were later recorded as sūtras.

A large hall in the traditional Buddhist vihāra used for monastic assemblies.

Chief editor who finalized the Tibetan translation of The Noble Dharma Discourse Describing the Benefits of Producing Representations of the Thus-Gone One, among other works.

Translator who produced the Tibetan translation of The Noble Dharma Discourse Describing the Benefits of Producing Representations of the Thus-Gone One, among other works.

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

A member of the highest of the four traditional castes in Hinduism, the priestly caste.

Indian scholar (Skt. upādhyāya ) who assisted the Tibetan translation of The Noble Dharma Discourse Describing the Benefits of Producing Representations of the Thus-Gone One , among other works.

A person who gives alms, an offerer of a gift, or a donor. In the context of the text it is the person who orders an artist to produce the Tathāgata’s image and offers it to the monastic community.

Gods, demigods, and human beings compose the three fortunate realms of higher rebirth. Gods enjoy comfort and peace, but rarely attain enlightenment. The three realms of gods include the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm.

The grove of Prince Jeta in Śrāvastī. The Buddha taught many of his discourses there, especially during the rainy season retreat.

A fully ordained Buddhist monk observing 253 precepts.

An epithet of the Buddha and a title for high lamas in the Tibetan tradition.

A visual representation fashioned in the likeness of someone.

The seven royal substances or treasures of a universal emperor: precious wheel (’khor lo rin po che), precious jewel (nor bu rin po che), precious queen (btsun mo rin po che), precious minister (blon po rin po che), precious elephant (glang po rin po che), precious excellent horse (rta mchog rin po che), and precious army officer (dmag dpon rin po che).

The capital of the ancient Indian kingdom of Kośala during the sixth–fifth centuries ʙᴄᴇ, which was ruled by one of the Buddha’s royal patrons, King Prasenajit. It was the setting for many sūtras, as the Buddha spent many rains retreats outside the city in the Jeta Grove. It has been identified with present-day Sahet Mahet in Uttar Pradesh on the banks of the river Rapti.

An epithet of the Buddha.

This term refers here to the ten divine qualities listed in the text: (1) divine lifespan, (2) divine complexion, (3) divine power, (4) divine happiness, (5) divine lordship, (6) divine form, (7) divine sound, (8) divine smell, (9) divine taste, and (10) divine touch. They can be divided into two groups of five, the latter five being the pleasures of the five senses (’dod yon lnga).

A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations, it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,” is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence. Tatha­(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence and quiescence.

A cakravartin is a king who rules over at least one continent and gains his territory by the rolling of his magic wheel over the land. Therefore, he is called a king with the revolving wheel. This is as the result of the merit he has accumulated in previous lifetimes.

According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati), or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions or emotions (kleśa-ari-hata-vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an epithet of the Buddha.