Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī - Colophon
Colophon
c.1 Because of the special merit that I have accumulated when refining, with all my devotion, care, and a joyous mind,
The text of this Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī—the dhāraṇī that removes great fear— May this entire world obtain in this very moment this Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī Adorned with words of the Sage’s doctrine, clear in meaning, and resplendent with great qualities!
Tibetan Translators’ Colophon
c.2 This sūtra was translated by the Indian preceptor Śilendrabodhi and the translator-editor Yeshé Dé. It was later standardized in line with the new terminological register.
ab.
ABBREVIATIONS
D Tibetan Degé edition
G Gilgit manuscript
K Kurumiya 1978 (page numbers entered in braces, e.g. {K26} denotes page 26)
TK Kurumiya 1979 (page numbers entered in braces, e.g. {TK26} denotes page 26)
n.
NOTES
n.1
Braarvig 1993.
n.2
Kurumiya 1978.
n.3
Denkarma, folio 297.a.4. See also Herrmann-Pfandt (2008), p. 52, no. 91.
n.4
Phangthangma, p. 7 (with abbreviated title ’phags pa rin po che’i tog).
n.5
Interestingly, the catalog of the Narthang Kangyur records the tradition that The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī was first translated into Tibetan by Tönmi Sambhoṭa (thon mi sam+b+ho Ta), the legendary seventh century minister and scholar credited with the development of the Tibetan alphabet during the reign of King Songtsen Gampo (ca. 617–650). See Narthang Catalog, folio 14.a.1, and Skilling 1997, p. 89.
n.6
Lamotte 2001, pp. 1541–42.
n.7
This information is based on a private communiqué from Peter Skilling, who does not recall seeing the feminine form vyākaraṇī in any other sūtra.
n.8
Toh 1-1, 1.233 et seq.; see translation in Miller et al. (2018). The Chapter on Going Forth contains a much longer and more detailed account of the story of Upatiṣya and Kaulita (Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana), but the culmination of their story in their encounter with Aśvajit and meeting with the Buddha is related in the present text with a little more detail, including some verses of which the Vinayavastu account has much briefer equivalents. The main additional element in the story in the present version—the advent of Māra following that meeting with Aśvajit—is of course the narrative theme that ties together all the component parts of The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī.
n.9
Skt. dharmanetrī; Tib. chos kyi tshul.
n.10
The following section, up to “I must make them embrace the view of the evil one” at 1.19, has been translated entirely from the Tib., filling a lengthy lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.11
Because of their magical character, uncertain readings, and the extent of corruption, the Sanskrit dhāraṇī formulae in this text would be impossible to translate in full. Although some individual words and phrases are intelligible, it would be risky to attempt a coherent translation—the alliterations (which possibly are part of the magic), for example, would be impossible to replicate in English. These dhāraṇīs have therefore been quoted throughout the translation in the original Sanskrit, with some editorial emendments that affect mainly word divisions and orthography. These emendments by no means make the Sanskrit text correct or even consistent, and have not been reported in the critical apparatus.
n.12
The Buddha and his hearer disciples are often compared to elephants or “great elephants” (mahānāga).
n.13
Tib. kun tu rgyu ba (Skt. parivrājaka). “Wandering mendicants” is a generic designation for the flourishing communities of mendicants of various religious outlooks who lived as wandering spiritual seekers (śramaṇa) in India during the time of the Buddha. Often, these wandering practitioners of various religious paths would interact with one another and exchange views and practices, such as what we hear about in this scripture.
n.14
The “nectar” seems to be referring to the nectar of the Dharma, i.e., the genuine teachings.
n.15
Tib. gang gi chos read as gang gis chos in accordance with the other instance just above.
n.16
This is an expanded version of the well-known and widely quoted stanza, sometimes called “the essence of dependent arising” (rten ’brel snying po), which, in Sanskrit, reads, ye dharmā hetuprabhavā hetuṃ teṣāṃ tathāgato hy avadat | teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ. One source of this stanza is found in a parallel version of the present narrative in the Chapter on Going Forth (Pravrajyāvastu) chapter of the Vinayavastu, Toh 1-1, folios 33.a–b (see Miller 1.236). The formula in Sanskrit and Pali has acquired the status of a dhāraṇī and is ubiquitous in Buddhist Asia as a seal at the end of texts, rolled into scrolls in stūpas, or used in rituals (sometimes with oṁ at the beginning and svāhā at the end). See also The Sūtra on Dependent Arising (Toh 212), in which the Buddha explains and recommends its use in the construction of stūpas. It should be noted that there are several quite significantly different renderings of the verse in Tibetan—compare, for example, the version in the present text and the one in Toh 1-1. Unfortunately, this stanza is missing in the available Sanskrit portions of The Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī (including the Gilgit manuscript which begins from folio 4.a).
n.17
The thousand monks who used to have matted hair is a reference to the one thousand non-Buddhist mendicants who are said to have converted en masse to the Buddha’s teaching and who, at this early point, made up the Buddha’s entire saṅgha. The thousandfold congregation comprised the five hundred followers of Urubilvā-Kāśyapa and the five hundred followers of his two brothers (who each had 250 followers), all practicing beforehand at different points along the River Nairañjana. This is recounted in the Saṅghabhedavastu chapter of the Vinayavastu (Toh 1-17, folio 56.a et seq.; 84000 translation currently in progress). The implication here is that the Buddha had only recently arrived in Rājagṛha for the first time, at Bimbisāra’s invitation.
n.18
Here begins the translation from the Skt.
n.19
“The view of the evil one” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna). Incidentally, it seems a little odd that Māra refers to himself as the “evil one.”
n.20
The Tib. reads, “What I said before about causes and productive causes is false.”
n.21
Skt. mṛtyu; Tib. ’chi bdag.
n.22
The Tib. reads, “Knowing the supreme teachings that captivate the minds of the wise and terminate the three sufferings, / No one anywhere could shake us from this knowledge.”
n.23
Instead of “owing to the Thus-Gone One . . . the wandering mendicant’s life,” the Tib. has “the wandering mendicant’s life of the Thus-Gone One.”
n.24
“Sickness” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.25
“Five hundred” is missing from the Tib.
n.26
“Stable . . . hard” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.27
“Making a great din” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.28
The Tib. is missing “hundreds.”
n.29
After “expounding the Dharma,” the Tib. adds “while gazing ahead.”
n.30
Here, the Tib. renders the Skt. viśārada, defined in Edgerton’s dictionary as “fearlessness,” as “fearless insight,” which could be more correct.
n.31
The Skt. prefix upa functions as the English “Jr.” Hence Upatiṣya means “Tiṣya, Jr.”
n.32
I.e., the “son of Śāri.”
n.33
The sentence beginning “Some people know me” is absent in the Tib.
n.34
The most complete story of Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana going forth can be found in the Pravrajyāvastu.
n.35
The phrase “who convey,” which fills the lacuna in the Skt. text, has been partially reconstructed from the Tib., which, however, is not very clear (gang dag bstan bcos don spyod mkhas pa rig pa’i pha rol song).
n.36
The phrase “and clear” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.37
The Tib. has, “Your path brings beings to the lower realms and causes them to discover an ocean of suffering.”
n.38
The Tib. has, “What more can you say, O garrulous, reckless liar with the voice of a jackal?”
n.39
The Tib. has, “Why do you try to shake me, you fool, with advice to enter nirvāṇa?”
n.40
The Tib. for this verse is, “Has someone arrived today that upset you?”
n.41
“Why won’t you have fun?” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.42
Tib. “He has the lassos of generosity, yogic discipline, contemplation, aspiration, and compassion. / He brandishes the supreme bow and arrow of emptiness and signlessness. / In accordance with the path to absolute peace and escape from saṃsāra, / He is the teacher of how to repel saṃsāra entirely.”
n.43
The Tib. adds at this point (after a comma) “applying themselves according to the precepts” (cho ga bzhin du zhugs nas).
n.44
The Tib. adds “incense” after “perfume.”
n.45
The phrase “and were overjoyed” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.46
The Tibetan of this half-stanza is unclear. It seems to be “The single eye for beings that dries up all rivers of craving, / Seeing the whole world that lacks eye[[[sight]]] . . .”
n.47
The Tibetan of this verse is unclear: byang chub yan lag rin chen dri med nor gsung sgron.
n.48
In the Tib., this verse is “Hasten to the refuge provided by the compassionate one.”
n.49
“Along with their retinues” is missing from the Tib.
n.50
“With their retinues” is missing from the Tib.
n.51
“Became even more enraged” has been supplied from the Chinese (Skt. lacuna; cf. K, p. 14, n. 1).
n.52
“Commoners’ ” is a tentative translation of the Tib. dmangs phal shing (Skt. lacuna).
n.53
“Our sons and legions” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.54
The reading “scorched by fire with flaming tongues” follows the Tibetan. Skt. has only aṅgāreṇa vayaṃ (lacuna), “by embers, we . . .”
n.55
The reading “taken refuge” (supported by the Tib.) has been obtained by emending śaramaṃ in Kurumiya’s edition to śaraṇaṃ.
n.56
“Pulled in by the Dharma hook he casts” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.57
“After being entrusted to me” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna); this is a tentative translation of nga la dpang btsugs nas, assuming that dpang is a misspelling of pang.
n.58
“With his magic” is missing from the Tib.
n.59
Tib. “Then, 1.2 quintillion of Māra’s attendants rose up, stretching upward for 84,000 leagues. They manifested violent magical displays of power and dominion, filling the entire space above the four continents with black clouds, violent black winds, and meteors. They slammed the king of mountains, Sumeru, with their hands, making all four continents shake violently.”
n.60
The Tib. has “conjured up a rain of stones a league in size.”
n.61
The Tib. has, “They also conjured up and released a great rain of swords, clubs, stones, lances, javelins, razors, blades similar to razors, axes, blades similar to axe blades, axe blades, (unclear), and terribly (unclear)—a rain of solid, hard, rough, and sharp objects.”
n.62
The Tib. has “turned into a rain of celestial flowers [such as] blue, pink, and red varieties of lotus, māndārava, and great māndārava.”
n.63
The Tib. adds here, “The land of Aṅga-Magadha was not struck by any of the falling meteors; rather, through his blessings a rain fell.”
n.64
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The source passage has not been located.
n.65
Literally, “endowed with a cranial protuberance (uṣṇīṣa) that cannot be [fully] seen when looked at.” This alludes to the belief in the wide-ranging powers of the Buddha’s uṣṇīṣa. Since it extends all the way to the realm of gods, thereby enabling the Buddha to control all the realms with his body, its full extent cannot be seen from earth. The Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa elaborates on the powers of the Buddha’s uṣṇīṣa at considerable length. See Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Noble Root Manual of the Rites of Mañjuśrī, Toh 543 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020), 14.2–3 et passim.
n.66
Here the Tib. repeats the entire list as above.
n.67
The Tib. does not mention bowing.
n.68
In the Tib. the number is 20,000, and in the Chinese 22,000.
n.69
“In his presence” is missing from the Tib.
n.70
“Who accomplishes all purposes” is the translation of the Buddha’s name, Siddhārtha.
n.71
The part about causes and results is unclear in both the Skt. and the Tib. The Tib. seems to be saying “cause and result from accumulation.”
n.72
In the Tib., these three verses are,“You destroy, O protector of worlds, the disease of ignorance / Wherein one is caught by the sense objects in existence, / Which are like an illusion, a mirage, or the moon reflected in water.”
n.73
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.74
In the Tib., this verse is “May the flowers we tossed in all directions / Become parasols / Eternally providing happiness, / Floating above the crown of the best of bipeds.”
n.75
The Tib. has “living blessed buddhas.”
n.76
The Tib. is somewhat different; it interprets the Skt. svaramaṇḍala (“lute”) literally as the “maṇḍala of sound,” which gives in translation, “They also heard the speech of the blessed buddhas’ melodious maṇḍalas.”
n.77
Prasāda (“faith”) is translated into the Tib. as “admiration and devotion.”
n.78
Instead of “ten trillion” the Tib. has “one quintillion.”
n.79
“Let alone kill him” is absent from the Skt.
n.80
In this address, the Tib. explicitly includes women; the Skt. just has “noble sons.” The same applies to the next four occurrences of “noble son(s).”
n.81
The Tib. says, “They must not grasp, give up, accept, dwell upon, appropriate, conceive of, or conceptualize any phenomenon, so that when they are training in the perfection of generosity, they do not give up, grasp, accept, appropriate, dwell upon, conceive of, or conceptualize the fruits of generosity.”
n.82
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The last clause, starting from “when they are training,” should be repeated for all the remaining perfections, up to and including the perfection of insight.
n.83
The Skt. words used here for being, the vital principle, and individual soul or personhood (sattva, jīva, poṣa, and puḍgala respectively) are near synonyms. They denote or imply an individual being or individual existence.
n.84
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the corresponding passage above.
n.85
The Tib. has “beings or the realm of beings.”
n.86
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the corresponding passage above.
n.87
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the corresponding passage above.
n.88
The Tib. has “conceptualize the occurring, remaining, or arising of the causes, conditions, reference points, or the ripening of the fruits of the threefold universe, three times, aggregates, elements, or sense bases.”
n.89
“Void” reflects the Tib. reading; the Skt. has, depending on how the sandhi is resolved, either “separate” or “not separate.”
n.90
“Without characteristics” seems to be listed twice.
n.91
For “neither friendly nor hostile” (which as a translation may be problematic), the Tib. has “not directional, not antidotes.”
n.92
“Appropriation, becoming, and birth” are the ninth through eleventh links in the chain of dependent origination. The Tib., however, has the “birth, craving, and appropriation of beings.”
n.93
“This shore and the other” refers to saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, i.e., conditioned existence and liberation.
n.94
Instead of “rocks,” the Tib. has “charnel ground,” reflecting the reading śmaśānaṃ rather than śmānaṃ.
n.95
The reading “without darkness” (atamas) is supported by the Chinese translation; the Tib., however, reads “indescribable.”
n.96
The Tibetan nyams par yang mi bgyid pa (“not subject to deterioration”) makes better sense in the present context than the Skt. na sāmīcīkaroti (“one does not pay respect”).
n.97
The “students and the adepts” (śaikṣa and aśaikṣa, literally “training” and “no more training”) could be referring to the five Mahāyāna paths.
n.98
The reading “one does not analyze” has been obtained by emending Kurumiya’s vivekanayena to vivekanaye na. The Tib. has “one does not analyze or cling.”
n.99
This statement is equally vague and unclear in the Skt. and in the Tib.
n.100
This statement has been supplied from the Tib. (which happens to be unclear), filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.101
The Tib. seems to be rendering this as, “How should one increase and accumulate all of the ornaments of awakening?”
n.102
Possibly the Sāṅkhya concepts of rajas and tamas are meant here.
n.103
The Tib. omits “all the thus-gone ones.”
n.104
This sentence is very unclear in both the Skt. and the Tib. The Skt. is possibly corrupt.
n.105
The past, present, and future.
n.106
In the Tib., this passage, starting from “It is because all phenomena . . . ,” could be read as, “Since phenomena are of the nature of being devoid of any attachment, they are all without imputation. They constitute the limit of nonarising and nonceasing; the ultimate limit where neither ignorance nor nirvāṇa arise; the ultimate limit where neither space nor nirvāṇa arise; the ultimate limit where all phenomena are inexpressible and in which beings are also inexpressible; the limit where all phenomena are insubstantial; the limit where the three times, the three realms of existence, and all the aggregates are nothing whatsoever; the limit where the three formations are emptiness; and the limit where the phenomenal aggregates, ripened aggregates, and the amassing or diminishing aggregates are insubstantial.”
n.107
In the Tib., the last sentence could be read as, “Bodhisattva great beings attain omniscience when they are fully endowed with the understanding of the facts of emptiness, the ultimate reality, the meaning of the inexpressible, and the truth of all phenomena.”
n.108
This number in the Tib. is 9.2 quintillion.
n.109
It is not clear who “these” twenty thousand bodhisattvas are. Possibly the twenty thousand of Māra’s children mentioned in the previous paragraph, who have now entered the bodhisattva path.
n.110
The Tib. adds “servants” after “harem.”
n.111
Instead of “subtle mind” (sūkṣmamati), the Tib. has “peaceful intellect.”
n.112
This line in the Tib. reads, “Destroyer of the suffering of death, transmigration, sickness, aging, and birth.”
n.113
Instead of “subtle mind” (sūkṣmamati), the Tib. has “peaceful intellect.”
n.114
“Uncaused” is missing from the Tib.
n.115
Instead of “subtle mind” (sūkṣmamati), the Tib. has “peaceful intellect.”
n.116
After “the snares of Māra,” the Tib. adds, “and will be released from his ways.”
n.117
The “single principle” is perhaps the same as the one described above for attaining omniscience.
n.118
The Tib. has “death and transmigration.”
n.119
In the Tib. this verse reads, “Blessed One! How does female birth come about?” The Skt. reading, however, is confirmed by the Chinese.
n.120
“Right here and now” is the Tib. reading. The Skt. seems to be saying, “as it is like space.”
n.121
The Tib. has, “Thus addressed by these noble children.”
n.122
To obtain the reading “It has great magical power,” as found in the Tib., one needs to emend mahārthikā in Kurumiya’s edition to maharddhikā.
n.123
The Tib. list additionally includes asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas.
n.124
The Tib. has “head-anointed kṣatriya king.”
n.125
“ Nonhuman beings” is missing from the Tib.
n.126
It is not completely clear whether it is the ascetic sitting on the throne or whether the text is placed on the throne.
n.127
As before, it is not clear whether it is the ascetic sitting on the throne, or the text is placed on the throne.
n.128
The Skt. text breaks off here (and resumes again at °le hihile down below), as one folio is missing from G. The translation of the missing part has been supplied from the Tib.
n.129
In some Tibetan versions, the narrative about the thus-gone Splendorous continues up to this point, i.e., it is he who is seen at the distance of an arrow shot and then recites the dhāraṇī. The Buddha Śākyamuni then recites the same dhāraṇī as part of his own narrative. In this version, the Buddha possibly replicates, at this stage in the narrative, the actions of the thus-gone Splendorous by making the earth shake, appearing in front of all the beings, and reciting the dhāraṇī himself.
n.130
The first part of the dhāraṇī (up to °le hihile) is based on the reconstruction by Dutt, who reconstructed it on the basis of the Tib. (the original Skt. is absent due to a missing manuscript folio).
n.131
Up to this point the text of this dhāraṇī has been reconstructed by Dutt, and the following part by Kurumiya.
n.132
The last part of the dhāraṇī constitutes a request to have the karma of being reborn as a woman purified and to subsequently acquire male characteristics.
n.133
“And our disenchantment” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.134
“Along with her retinue” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.135
Instead of “thus-gone one,” the Tib. has “monk.”
n.136
The Tib. has “Māra’s tricky and deceptive activity.”
n.137
“And from some the male” is absent from the Tib.
n.138
“To some, birth as a preta; to some, birth as a hell being” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.139
“The ending of birth, death, and transmigration” is based on the Tib. The Skt. could be interpreted as “a high birth from which there is no falling back.”
n.140
“A vow breaker” is omitted in the Tib.
n.141
The expression “in the fruit” (phale) is unclear. It would be natural to take phale as standing for phalayāne (following after the preceding solitary buddha yāne and hearer yāne). The term phalayāna (“fruition vehicle” or “resultant vehicle”) later became applied to the tantric vehicle (tantrayāna).
n.142
The Tib. reads, “thus changing their female sex organs and establishing them in the state of being men.”
n.143
Instead of “near the Thus-Gone One” (tathāgatasyāntike), the Tib. has “about the Thus-Gone One.”
n.144
The list, here abbreviated by the Skt. scribe, is meant to include all the stages of the Buddha’s life.
n.145
The Tib. has “the seat of awakening underneath the Bodhi tree.”
n.146
The Tib. reads, “You should not think that the king Utpalavaktra who did [these things] is someone unknown to you. If you are uncertain, vacillating, or doubtful, do not think that way. Why not? It was I who was at that time the king Utpalavaktra, universal monarch ruling over the four continents.”
n.147
This sentence is not completely clear. The Tib. reads, “It was I who acted as the male power.”
n.148
The Tib. reads, “You should not think that the chief queen Surasundarī who went forth at that time is someone unknown to you. If you are uncertain, vacillating, or doubtful, do not think that way. Why not? It was the bodhisattva great being Maitreya who was at that time the chief queen Surasundarī.”
n.149
The Tib. reads, “O good people, you should not think that the soldier Kumārabhṛta, with his retinue of tens of millions of doubt-filled beings who said unpleasant things about the Buddha, is someone unknown to you. If you are uncertain, vacillating, or doubtful, do not think that way. Why not? It was this very Māra, the evil one, who was at that time the soldier Kumārabhṛta.”
n.150
“Asuras” has been supplied from the Tib.; it is also supported by the Chinese.
n.151
“Overcome with grief” (śokāgāre niṣaṇṇa) has been translated into the Tib. literally as “sitting in the house of grief.”
n.152
“Sahā” is not in the Tib.
n.153
“In order to listen to the Dharma” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.154
In the Tib., this verse reads, “A supreme one, he emanates the threefold existence.”
n.155
“He does not belong anywhere” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.156
“To kill him” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.157
The three feelings are those of those of pleasure, pain, and indifference.
n.158
It is not quite clear what type of social engagements are meant, but the Skt. word used (saṃsarga) could suggest the sexual. The Tib. is vague.
n.159
In the Tib. this verse is longer and a little different: “I will throw terribly sharp vajras, / Spears, swords, and hammers. / When these flaming missiles strike him, / The scion of the Śākyas will be crushed to dust.”
n.160
In the Tib., the last two sentences are, “We will immediately show whatever magical powers we have at our disposal to the monk Gautama. Know that [we will do this].”
n.161
The Tib. reads, “You must engage with him in conversation at great length about many edifying topics.”
n.162
The Tib. has “to dispel their hunger.”
n.163
In the Tib. the last verse reads, “Confused and senseless, they will be scattered by our magical power, running off into different directions.”
n.164
It is indicated in the Skt. text that this last sentence ought to be expanded into the corresponding passage from the section on Venerable Śāriputra above, with the substitution of names.
n.165
This verse in absent in the Skt. text; it has been supplied from the Tib. To preserve the verse numbering as in the Kurumiya edition, no separate number has been given to it here.
n.166
Instead of “fast flows the water,” the Tib. has, “like the swiftly moving, rough water on a steep slope.”
n.167
The expression “likewise, as before” (Skt. peyālam; Tib. de bzhin du sbyar) signifies that the passage “Life passes quickly, my friends; fast flows the water. A naive person doesn’t know this—” is elided and to be repeated in the text that follows (the next three stanzas).
n.168
The translation here follows the Tib. G has “deceits of illusion.”
n.169
The Tib. could be interpreted as, “The ultimate reality is empty and free from all limits.”
n.170
The Skt. of the last two lines is very unclear. The last two lines in the Tib. seem to be, “Being led along through practicing the path of awakening, awakening is found. / It is taught that undeluded reality itself is protected in the Dharma.”
n.171
The Tib. reads instead, “Under the influence of bad friends, we have never heard these teachings before.”
n.172
“Through delusion and ignorance” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.173
A kind of gem, reddish in color (Edgerton).
n.174
The Tib. adds at this point, “Its scent surpassed divine incense. It occurred through world-transcending roots of virtue.”
n.175
Instead of “various stanzas with words rich in meaning,” the Tib. reads, “various words, meaning, and verse.”
n.176
The phrase “has come” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.177
I.e., Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana respectively.
n.178
The Tib. reads, “Upatiṣya and Kaulita, proficient in moral precepts, are guided by [this] teacher. / They are knowledgeable and skilled in many treatises, and their final aim is the Dharma.”
n.179
The “three types” are the instructions in the vināya (disciplinary code), the sūtra (collection of discourses), and the abhidharma (the science of the mind and phenomena).
n.180
The “three stains” are the stains of ignorance, hatred, and greed.
n.181
The phrase “will teach everything today” has been supplied from the Tib.; the Skt. seems to be saying “will now depart.”
n.182
Instead of “reveals,” the Tib. has “sees.”
n.183
“Follow from” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.184
The Tib. has “preacher of the six seeds.” It is not clear what the “six seeds” refers to, possibly the six perfections.
n.185
Instead of “essential teachings” (sāradharma), the Tib. has “transcendent (pha rol) teachings.”
n.186
“He defeats those who live in the city” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.187
It is not clear what the “six supreme goals” (ṣaḍuttamārtha) refers to. Possibly the six perfections.
n.188
The Skt. duranta can mean “leading to a bad end” and “infinite.” This is not reflected in the Tibetan, which we have followed here.
n.189
It is unclear what “signs of the thirteen aspects” refers to.
n.190
This line in the Tib. reads, “For those who are attached to their concepts about form and so on.”
n.191
Instead of “train in behavior” (vinītaceṣṭāḥ),” the Tib. has “curb/discipline their deceit/fickleness.”
n.192
The phrase “without agent and without action” is provided from the Tibetan and Chinese (Skt. lacuna).
n.193
In the Tib., this verse reads, “If those who meditate on all phenomena in this world as empty, / Being without agent and action, / Abandon their wishes, they will reach / Unsurpassed awakening of the sky-like nature.”
n.194
The translation of asama as “out-of-character” is uncertain. The Tib. seems to be saying in this verse something different altogether: “Listen to my words with minds of unchanging [fealty]!”
n.195
The Tib. reads, “He with power and might, whose qualities are totally immaculate, / Lives in this world in order to stabilize beings.”
n.196
Instead of “lotus,” the Tib. has “something sublime” (dam pa).
n.197
The Tib. reads “there is no other supreme refuge.”
n.198
The Tib. reflects the reading vadana (“face”) rather than vacana (“speech,” “words”), the reading of G, which has been adopted here.
n.199
The Tib. reads, “We, [on the other hand,] are scared and terrified.”
n.200
In the Tib., this verse reads, “We should go to see [him] with eagerness and faith, in the city where he’s come.”
n.201
Instead of “devotion,” the Tib. has “enthusiasm.”
n.202
This seems to refer to four kings of the mundane (phal pa), i.e., human, realm as distinct from the four great heavenly kings just mentioned, but we cannot confirm their identities.
n.203
This and the next five items belong to the seven precious emblems of royalty (saptaratna, “seven precious ones”), which comprise a precious wheel, precious wish-granting jewel, precious queen, precious minister, precious elephant, precious general, and precious horse.
n.204
The Tib. has “dangling white ornaments.”
n.205
Tib. “dangling green ornaments.”
n.206
“Strings of pearls” is omitted in the Skt.
n.207
The Tib. has “dangling ornaments.”
n.208
The Tib. reads, “If these beings would just acknowledge [me], I could disturb their minds.”
n.209
“My merit” is missing from the Tib.
n.210
The “fivefold noose” metaphorically refers to the five aggregates (cf. 5.40: “By totally comprehending the five aggregates, one is freed from their noose”).
n.211
The reading “refuge, and defender of the world” is taken from the Tib. The Skt. seems to be saying “refuge from the ways of the world.”
n.212
“Birth” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.213
The reading “O sage” (supported by the Tib.) has been obtained by emending Kurumiya’s reading muner to mune.
n.214
“The greatest and most important being” has been supplied from the Tib., as the Skt. is unclear.
n.215
“Instructions” is not in the Tib.
n.216
Gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas are omitted in the Skt. list.
n.217
Instead of “mounted forces,” the Tib. has “youthful forces.”
n.218
The reading “destruction” is based on G’s saṃkṣyaṃ (unmetrical), read as saṃkṣayaṃ.
n.219
Reading (on the authority of the Tib.) suta˚ (“son”) as muni˚ (“sage”).
n.220
The Tib. reads, “O you who have accomplished the ten strengths.”
n.221
The Tib. reads “each more fierce and cruel than the other.”
n.222
This phrase might not have an English equivalent. “To pull one’s hair” would perhaps be the closest expression in English.
n.223
The Skt. phrase “Give comfort . . . to all those who draw breath” involves a play on words, as the Skt. āśvāsaya (“give them comfort”) literally means “make them breathe freely.”
n.224
“Gifts” here includes the sacrifices of one’s own life and limb for the sake of others.
n.225
Instead of “Cakravāḍa range,” the Tib. has “Mount Meru.”
n.226
The “self-arisen ones” are the thus-gone ones.
n.227
Instead of “absolute truth,” the Tib. has “supreme path.”
n.228
This line is missing from all Tibetan editions. The “great fears,” sometimes the “four great fears,” are probably the fears of death, old age, sickness, and birth.
n.229
This line is missing from all Tibetan editions.
n.230
The translation of the last two lines is based on the Tib., as the Skt. is a little unclear.
n.231
The eight qualities of water are that it is cool, sweet, light, soft, clear, pleasant, wholesome, and soothing.
n.232
“Preaches wherever he travels” is based on the Tib.
n.233
This verse has been translated based on the Tib., as the Skt. is not completely clear.
n.234
A species of aquatic bird; the name madgu (from √majj) suggests submerging or diving.
n.235
In the Tib., the Skt. pratidarśaya is translated as “teach [them] individually.”
n.236
The Tib. is unclear; it seems to be saying, “Should calamity befall the hundred guides.”
n.237
The name Siddhartha (siddhārtha) is here paraphrased as Prāptārtha, which has the same meaning, “one who has accomplished their purpose.”
n.238
The Tib. reads, “I will show the immaculate and authentic path.”
n.239
In the Tib., possibly reflecting a different Skt. reading, this verse is, “I will summon them by a great miracle.”
n.240
The translation of this verse is based on the Tib., as the Skt. is unclear.
n.241
It is not clear what the “sun of death” (mṛtyusūrya) refers to.
n.242
The Tib. adds “fragrant oils” after “garlands.”
n.243
The context and the Chinese translation suggest that they covered the road with these items. G, however, which seems corrupt, suggests that it was the Blessed One.
n.244
The Tib. adds “pearl garlands” after “celestial cloth.”
n.245
The eight qualities of water are that it is cool, sweet, light, soft, clear, pleasant, wholesome, and soothing.
n.246
Instead of “great sage,” the Tib. has “great miracles.”
n.247
The narrative here ties in with verse 3.18 and the preceding paragraph.
n.248
Four folios of the Skt. manuscript are missing at this point. The following text up to the end of verse 4.107 has been translated entirely from the Tib.
n.249
Measurement by fingers (Skt. aṅgulipramāṇa) was used in ancient Indian medical science to divide and measure the individual sections of the body. The basic unit is the breadth of a finger.
n.250
This seems to refer to a distance of four fingers, but it is not clear where the point of reference is.
n.251
This seems to refer to a distance of four fingers, but, again, it is not clear where the point of reference is.
n.252
The point of reference is actually not specified; it could be “from the neck,” “toward the neck,” “up the neck,” etc.
n.253
Again, the point of reference is not specified and the phrase is unclear. The text actually says “the other half finger.”
n.254
Again, the point of reference for this measurement is not specified.
n.255
Again, the point of reference for this measurement is not specified.
n.256
Translation tentative. Tib. myur du bdag khyim zhig par bgyid.
n.257
Again, the point of reference for this measurement is not specified.
n.258
There seems to be some inconsistency here, as, according to verse 4.67, the Buddha himself was born under the constellation Puṣyā.
n.259
Translation tentative. Tib. yang dag dga’ bya drug smra zhing.
n.260
It is unclear what the “three phenomena” refers to, but perhaps to the threefold taxonomy of phenomena, namely the aggregates (skandha), sense bases (āyatana), and elements (dhātu).
n.261
The translation from the Skt. resumes here.
n.262
This paragraph, because of several lacuna in the Skt. text, has been translated based on the Tib. Some parts of it remain unclear.
n.263
The phrase “holding a flower” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.264
The phrase “world with the light from your eye of wisdom” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.265
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.266
The clause “I prostrate to you today” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.267
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.268
“By turning the wheel of the Dharma” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.269
These two lines have been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.270
Instead of the “net of craving,” the Tib. has “ocean of views.”
n.271
“Please tell me, O best of humans” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.272
The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacuna.
n.273
The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.
n.274
The Tib. reads, “May they attain the wisdom of the essential nature that is endowed with the quintessence of the sense faculties.”
n.275
Supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.276
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.277
The last two lines have been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.278
The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.
n.279
The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.
n.280
The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.
n.281
The translation of this verse is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. text includes a number of lacunae.
n.282
The Tib. has “parasol in the sky.”
n.283
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.284
The earth is personified here as the goddess Vasundhurā, which could be either a corruption of vasundharā (“holder of riches”) or a correct variant of her name, meaning “laden (dhurā) with riches.”
n.285
“Bow her head to your feet” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.286
Tib. “trichiliocosm” (Skt. lacuna).
n.287
The translation of the Tib. yid skyo as “moved” is slightly problematic; the corresponding Skt. text is missing.
n.288
The translation of this paragraph is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. includes a number of lacunae.
n.289
The translation of this paragraph is partially based on the Tib., as the Skt. includes a number of lacunae.
n.290
The phrase “those beings who were capable of being guided by buddhas” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.291
The phrase “For this occasion, the Blessed One” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.292
The last half-stanza is translated based on the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.293
We cannot provide the location for the next page number (TK129), as the relevant page from our copy of Kurumiya 1979 was missing.
n.294
Two folios of the Sanskrit manuscript are missing at this point (they are missing in the TK edition of the Tibetan canon as well). The missing part has been translated entirely from the Degé edition.
n.295
In some classifications, our impure world is also part of a buddha field. The same may be true for other impure worlds.
n.296
Translation tentative. Tib. rtsig pa med pa.
n.297
What follows is the list of the thirty-seven factors of awakening.
n.298
The Sanskrit page number is repeated, as the Skt. text resumes on the same page after a long lacuna.
n.299
Translation from the Skt. resumes here.
n.300
“And took their seats” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.301
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.302
“I never stop anyone” has been partially supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.303
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.304
The phrase “fivefold noose” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.305
“I am liberated and thus liberate beings” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.306
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.307
“Cast away all your doubts” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.308
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.309
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.310
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.311
The phrase “to cultivate emptiness” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.312
Reading puṣpa˚ (“flowers”) as puṣya˚ (“to be fostered”), against the Tib. reading, which reflects puṣpa˚.
n.313
The translation of this verse is based mainly on the Tib. because of extensive lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.314
It is not obvious what the three stains are, but presumably hatred, desire, and ignorance.
n.315
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.316
The “threefold liberation” is defined differently in different Buddhist systems. Here it most likely means (1) freedom from moral depravities (āsrava), (2) from conditioned existence, and (3) from ignorance.
n.317
The three types of restraint are the restraints of the body, speech, and mind.
n.318
The translation of this verse is based mainly on the Tib. because of extensive lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.319
This line has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.320
The translation of this and the remaining verses in this section (up to verse 34) is based mainly on the Tib. because of extensive lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.321
Jvara (“fever”) is used here in the sense of mental anguish.
n.322
The translation of this paragraph is partly based on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.323
The phrase “Jyotīrasa, the great bodhisattva being” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.324
The phrase “made of the seven precious gems” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.325
The phrase “with hands folded” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.326
This and the following two verses have been translated partly based on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.327
From this point up to “the remainder of the aggregates” in chapter 7, the translation has been made entirely from the Tib., as two folios of the Skt. manuscript are missing.
n.328
The translation here is very tentative. Tib. sa ni ’dom do ’phang tsam rdo bdag gis gang bar byas.
n.329
The translation from the Skt. resumes at this point, but still relies heavily, in this and the next paragraphs, on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.330
In the Tib., this list reads “weeks, constellations, days, nights, months, fortnights, seasons, and years.”
n.331
The Tib. translates adhiṣṭhāna as “blessing”; in the context of manufacture, though, this should perhaps be taken in its more literal meaning of “supervision.”
n.332
In the Tib., this sentence seems to come after the next.
n.333
This entire paragraph, which describes the exposition that is going to be given, could be read, in the Tib., as a description of the Buddha’s actions instead. The Skt. grammar, however, seems to preclude this interpretation.
n.334
The next few occurrences of this phrase have been shortened to just “this exposition.”
n.335
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The source passage has not been located.
n.336
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is meant to be supplied from the identical passage two paragraphs above (5.79), starting with “completely destroys the forces” and ending with “remainder of the aggregates.”
n.337
The Skt. seems to be saying “during the same eon.”
n.338
In the Tib. translation, this paragraph comes before the (previous) paragraph on wind, reflecting the usual order in which the four elements are listed.
n.339
It is unclear what these three predispositions are, but perhaps the predisposition to ignorance, greed, and hatred.
n.340
The passage from “He is able to know anything at all about any being” (just above), up to this point has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.341
This paragraph has been translated in part from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.342
The passage here has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the matching passage above.
n.343
The passage here has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the matching passage above.
n.344
The passage here has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from the matching passage above.
n.345
The Skt. word for “throne” is here siṃhāsana (“lion seat”), which can just mean a royal seat or throne, or perhaps a throne supported by lions.
n.346
The last clause, starting from “some directed their minds,” has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.347
The Tib. reads “who have gathered here from all directions!”
n.348
This line has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text. It is possible that the phrase “of supreme austerity” is not a description of the bodhisattvas, but of the worthy ones.
n.349
This line has been translated based on the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.350
This line has been translated based on the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.351
Parts of this verse have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.352
Parts of this verse have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.353
Instead of “skill,” the Tib. has “fearlessness.”
n.354
“Allows escape from all the domains of Māra” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.355
“Brings one to omniscient wisdom, frees one from all fears” has been supplied from the Tib., filling in the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.356
Instead of “demeanor” and “steadfastness,” the Tib. has “realization” and “inspiration.”
n.357
The Tib. here reads “brings on skill in illuminating wisdom.”
n.358
Here the passage has been abbreviated by the Skt. scribe. The omitted part is to be supplied from an unidentified location.
n.359
The phrase “beings into contact with charismatic splendor, health, enjoyments, strength” has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.360
“To defeat all enemies; to ensure good harvests” has been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacuna in the Skt. text.
n.361
Parts of this sentence have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.362
Large chunks of this paragraph have been supplied from the Tib. because of the lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.363
The phrase “he placed in the hands of” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.364
The word “remaining” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.365
The passage starting from “Please come to my buddha field” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.366
“Weariness” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.367
“Veiled by the dark veil of ignorance, been thrown into the darkness of afflictions” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.368
The translation of this sentence is based on the Tib. because of a number of lacunae in the Skt. text.
n.369
The part “. . . deserted towns, or charnel grounds. I make my bedding from hemp, sticks, and leaves—rough, stale-smelling, and unpleasant to the touch” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.370
“Donning the armor” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.371
The three types of activity are actions committed with the body, the speech, or the mind. The phrase “with monks” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.372
“Filled with envy” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.373
“Indulging in sex” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.374
“Boldly approach” (parākramanti) is not in the Tib. text.
n.375
The Tib. adds “wild pigs” after “wolves.”
n.376
“My houses, monasteries, and temples” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.377
“Foul odors” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.378
It is not completely clear which blessed buddhas are which, but it seems that Buddha Śākyamuni is now addressing the buddhas who have gathered in his own buddha field and speaks about the buddhas of the past, using them as an example.
n.379
Instead of “to suppress the proclamations of all the hostile preachers of other doctrines,” the Tib. reads “to destroy enemies and obstructers in a fashion that accords with the Dharma.”
n.380
The Tib. adds “asuras” after “yakṣas.”
n.381
“Evil spirits, blind infatuation, bad dreams, and bad omens” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.382
“Contemplation,” “devotion,” and “stability” are absent in the Skt. text; they have been supplied from the Tib.
n.383
The passage is abbreviated here; the source passage is two paragraphs above.
n.384
The word “unobstructed” is not in the source passage.
n.385
In place of “annihilation,” the Tib. has “fearless” (the two are spelled in Tib. almost the same, ’jig and ’jigs respectively).
n.386
“To ensure the continuity of the lineage of the Three Jewels” is missing from the Tib.
n.387
The passage is abbreviated here; the source passage is three paragraphs above.
n.388
The word “unobstructed” is not in the source passage.
n.389
After “the buddhas,” the Tib. adds “and bodhisattvas.”
n.390
The list of the qualities of the dhāraṇī is abbreviated here; the missing part is to be supplied from the similar list(s) elsewhere, but the source passage could not be located.
n.391
It is unclear in what way the domain of the Buddha is filled or made complete.
n.392
The Tib. has “thirty-six times.”
n.393
The Tib. reads, “It is the complete path for those who are accomplishing awakening.”
n.394
The last sentence is missing from the Tib.
n.395
Instead of “body,” the Tib. reads “eye.”
n.396
The passage has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe. The source passage has not been located; it could be any of the passages above that list the qualities of the dhāraṇī-seal called the terminator of birth . . .”
n.397
The maṇḍala of sound that conveys words (Skt. svaramaṇḍalavāgvyāhāra) seems to be the name of the magical ability to make one’s words heard over a distance without a weakening or distortion of the sound. The phrase “maṇḍala of sound” (svaramaṇḍala) is not completely clear. Our translation here presumes that it is the magical medium that conveys the sound of spoken words over any distance. The other meaning of svaramaṇḍala, that of a “lute,” is unlikely in this context.
n.398
The list has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe; the full list should include the remaining classes of nonhuman beings: gods, nāgas, and so forth. The same should be assumed for other abbreviated lists of nonhuman beings below.
n.399
After “confuse,” the Tib. adds “freeze, befuddle.”
n.400
It is unclear what these three predispositions are, but perhaps the predispositions to ignorance, greed, and hatred. The last part of this sentence, starting from “characterized,” is missing from the Tib.
n.401
In the Tib., the last sentence begins, “If he does not get attached to them, why then do you, sister . . .”
n.402
In the Tib., three categories of persons are mentioned: Dharma teachers, students, and those established in the proper conduct.
n.403
The phrase “reverse their aggressive intentions and take the pledge” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.404
In the Tib., three categories of persons are mentioned: Dharma teachers, students, and those established in the right conduct.
n.405
“These mantras” implies that the above dhāraṇī consists of individual mantras, which is consistent with the structure of this dhāraṇī.
n.406
The Tib. interprets this as going blind; however, the eyeballs bursting or being otherwise destroyed is a common theme in the tantras in similar contexts.
n.407
The list has been abbreviated here by the Skt. scribe; the full list should include the lords of the remaining classes of nonhuman beings: gods, nāgas, and so forth.
n.408
“The great trichiliocosm” is missing from the Tib.
n.409
The Tib. interprets this as going blind; however, the eyeballs bursting or being otherwise destroyed is a common theme in the tantras in similar contexts.
n.410
From this point onward, certain passages in the source texts have been elided and refer to text that the reader will have to infer. It is not always clear precisely what this text may be, so we have indicated this in the translation by ellipses, rather than supplying the text from other passages.
n.411
Following the parallel with the dry land dwellers, it would seem that the evil aquatic beings would also fall into clefts in the earth (in the bottom of the sea?).
n.412
Instead of “protect,” the Tib. reads “ripen.”
n.413
Everything from this point up to the point indicated by n.422 in chapter 10 has been translated entirely from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.414
Translation tentative. Tib. chos smra ba de’i spobs pa rigs pas nye bar bsgrub par bgyi’o.
n.415
This name seems somewhat dubious.
n.416
The “five points of the body” are here the forehead, the elbows, and the knees.
n.417
Here and in the following, “four hundred and four” translates the Tib. brgya rtsa bzhi, which in itself only means “one hundred and four.” However, given that the number of illnesses enumerated in classical Indian medicine is four hundred and four, we have read the Tib. as a contraction of bzhi brgya rtsa bzhi.
n.418
The total count of these “sets of medicinal treatments” far exceeds the number one thousand and four.
n.419
Here “aroma” tentatively translates snar stsal ba.
n.420
The phrase “to be able to bring beings to maturity by means of employing earth ” has been added to fit the pattern of employing each of the five elements found in this section.
n.421
The Skt. of this mantra, like that of the others in this text, is quite corrupt. Possibly all the occurrences of °vava should be °vaha.
n.422
Translation fom the Skt. resumes here.
n.423
“Throughout the three times” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.424
“And protect it” is absent from the Tib.
n.425
“And protect it” has been supplied from the Tib.
n.426
In the Tib. this list is “hamlets, villages, towns, cities, states, mountain cliffs, royal cities, isolated places . . .”
n.427
Reference is here made to this text—the Ratnaketu Dhāraṇī—one of the Mahāsannipāta sūtras. This reference occurs several times throughout this chapter.
n.428
“Saṃsāra” has been supplied from the Tib.; the Skt. reads “formation.”
n.429
I.e., will be reborn in the realms of Śakra or Brahmā. In place of “as your companions,” the Tib. reads “equal in fortune to you.”
n.430
The Tib. adds “world protectors” after “brahmās. The Chinese, though, supports the Skt.
n.431
The Tib. indicates that the list was abbreviated at this point; the full list should include the lords of the remaining classes of nonhuman beings: gods, nāgas, and so forth.
n.432
In place of “protect . . . and glorify,” the Tib. reads, “teach, care for, and protect.”
n.433
Skt. āvāhayiṣtāmaḥ (“we will cause to move/drive”); Tib. rgyu bar bgyi (“set in motion”).
n.434
“An abundance of water” (augha) is missing from the Tib.
n.435
The Tib. reads “waterfalls, springs, lakes, and ponds.”
n.436
“And [other] crops” is missing from the Tib.
n.437
“We will ensure the longevity that arises from glory and merit” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.438
“And will spurn evil ones” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.439
“Idle curiosity” is the translation of the Skt. kautuka, which is rendered into the Tib. as “entertainment.” Here it probably means chasing after anything that arouses curiosity or is amusing, but not necessarily beneficial.
n.440
The Tib. reads, “We will strive for infinite eons to ensure that this Dharma method is taught authentically.”
n.441
“In order to quell the pain of beings” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.442
“Overwhelmed by the thieves and rogues of the afflictions” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.443
The beginning of this paragraph up to this point the translation relies heavily on the Tib. because of frequent lacunae in the Skt. text; from this point on, up to the words “we will encourage any Dharma teacher” at the end of 11.11, the translation is entirely from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.444
Translation tentative. Tib. bdag dang gzhan gnyi ga’i nyon mongs pa’i las yongs su sbyang ba’am.
n.445
The Skt. of this dhāraṇī is too corrupt to be edited reliably.
n.446
Translation from the Skt. resumes here.
n.447
Missing passages from the Skt. text corresponding to the translated section beginning with “I entrust you with the responsibility . . .” at {K159} to this point have been supplied from the Tib.
n.448
Gaps in this paragraph have been filled in using the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.449
Gaps in this paragraph have been filled in using the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.450
From this point, up to the words “the loss of their magical powers” near the end of 11.18, the translation is mostly from the Tib. (Skt. lacunae).
n.451
Translation from the Skt. resumes here.
n.452
In place of “the waters were stirred,” the Tib. reads “the clouds billowed.”
n.453
The translation of the last sentence is based on the Tib. and the Chinese. The Skt. reads, “Trembled also Māra along with his retinue. However, the gods, the kaṭapūtanas, and the bodhisattvas, who attained acceptance, did not tremble.”
n.454
“The dark faction defeated” has been supplied from the Tib. (Skt. lacuna).
n.455
In place of “jackal,” the Tib. reads “goat.”
n.456
In place of “Starlight,” the Tib. reads “Firelight.”
n.457
“Wicked” is missing from the Tib.
n.458
The translation of this sentence is based on the Tib. The Skt. reads, “According to their different inclinations, I establish them in the Three Jewels as non-returners.”
n.459
“Have no faith” is the Tib. reading; the Skt. has “have unshakable faith,” and the Chinese, “have pure faith.”
n.460
The Skt. includes an additional sentence here: “Most [[[beings]]] thus fall into the realm of the wicked yakṣas . . . and kaṭapūtanas,” which seems to be an unnecessary reiteration.
n.461
The Skt. has at this position, against the Tib. and the Chinese, the words “O Blessed One!”
n.462
The Tib. reads “gently cause” but omits “gentleness and kindness” later on in this sentence.
n.463
The Tib. reads “gently pacify.”
n.464
Here the Tib. interpretes bhūta not as “being” but as “spirit.”
n.465
The meaning of vajrakhavasarī is unclear. Here it has been translated as vajra-kha-avasarī (“vajra-sky-expanding”); it seems to be translated into the Tib. as inserting thought into the vajra sky.
n.466
“Quotidian through quartan” is a reference to malarial fever that recurs every day, or every second, third, or fourth day.
n.467
“Āṭavaka, the great general of the yakṣas” is missing from both the Tib. and the Chinese.
n.468
“Noble son” is based on the Tib. The Skt. has the plural “noble sons.”
n.469
“Meaning, words, and letters” (arthapadavyañjana) seems to be a stock phrase implying the completeness of the speech conveyed through the maṇḍala of sound that conveys words: this maṇḍala conveys speech on three levels, namely the letters that form words, the words, and the meaning that the words convey.
n.470
The vocative meaning, “O noble son,” has been obtained by restoring the G reading kulaputrebhir (BHS sandhi, kulaputra + ebhir) against the K reading kulaputrair.
n.471
“Are extremely terrifying” is missing from the Tib.
n.472
The reading “returning” was obtained by emending the Skt. gagana to gamana (supported by the Tib. and the Chinese).
n.473
The passage from “who read it . . .” up to this point has been supplied from the Tib.; it is absent in the Skt. text.
n.474
In place of “the [negativity of] the dark age,” the Tib. reads “the turbidity of struggle.”
n.475
The following division into ten has been introduced when translating this list into English and may be different from what was originally intended.
n.476
“You will duly set these beings apart” (nyāyataḥ parīttāḥ) seems to be missing from the Tib.
n.477
The Tib. reads, “You will avert that which is harmful to them.”
n.478
The Tib. reads “faultless memory, intellect, understanding, and eloquence.”
n.479
The “profound acceptance” (gambhirakṣānti) is an abbreviation of the type of kṣānti called “the acceptance that does not fear the profound meaning (i.e., emptiness)” (zab mo’i don la mi skrag pa’i bzod pa).
n.480
It is not clear what the “three things” are, but perhaps the three notions of subject, object, and action.
n.481
“Pure” (śuddha) is supported by the Chinese, but the Tib. reflects the reading kevalam (“only”).
n.482
The following division into ten has been introduced when translating this list into English and may be different from what was originally intended.
n.483
The Tib. reads, “[This buddha field is a product] of the great power of the blessed buddhas.” The Skt. reading is, however, supported by the Chinese.
n.484
The Skt. pratipanna means “who have met with” with the sense perhaps of “who have adopted.” The Tib. reads “who earnestly practice.”
n.485
This verse has been supplied from the Tib. It is absent in the Skt. text.
n.486
It seems that the Buddha is referring to himself.
n.487
This name is reflected in the Tib. and the Chinese translations; the Skt., however, has a shorter version, Virajabalavikrāmin.
b.
Source
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