Texts of Diamond Cutter Classics

Kamalashila’s Great Commentary to the Diamond Cutter Sutra

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¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 Kamalashila’s

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 Great Commentary

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 to the Diamond Cutter Sutra

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¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 Translated by

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 Geshe Michael Roach

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¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 Copyright ©2018 by Geshe Michael Roach.  All rights reserved.

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¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 Sections may be reproduced with the author’s permission.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 0 Please contact:

¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 0 geshemichael@gmail.com

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¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 Volume 100 of the Diamond Cutter Classics Series

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¶ 22 Leave a comment on paragraph 22 0 Diamond Cutter Press

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¶ 31 Leave a comment on paragraph 31 0 Table of Contents

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¶ 34 Leave a comment on paragraph 34 0 Kamalashila’s Great Commentary

¶ 35 Leave a comment on paragraph 35 0 to the Diamond Cutter Sutra……………………………………………………. 5

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¶ 37 Leave a comment on paragraph 37 0 The title of the work………………………………………………………………………………….. 5

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¶ 39 Leave a comment on paragraph 39 0 The translators bow…………………………………………………………………………………… 6

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¶ 41 Leave a comment on paragraph 41 0 And bowing to emptiness…………………………………………………………………………. 6

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¶ 43 Leave a comment on paragraph 43 0 A promise to write…………………………………………………………………………………….. 7

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¶ 45 Leave a comment on paragraph 45 0 A plan for the work…………………………………………………………………………………… 7

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¶ 47 Leave a comment on paragraph 47 0 Why it’s called the “Diamond Cutter”………………………………………………………. 9

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¶ 49 Leave a comment on paragraph 49 0 A summary of the sutra…………………………………………………………………………… 11

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¶ 51 Leave a comment on paragraph 51 0 Once I heard……………………………………………………………………………………………. 15

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¶ 53 Leave a comment on paragraph 53 0 A politician and a businessperson…………………………………………………………… 17

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¶ 55 Leave a comment on paragraph 55 0 A gathering of monks & bodhisattvas……………………………………………………… 21

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¶ 57 Leave a comment on paragraph 57 0 A monk’s simplicity………………………………………………………………………………… 27

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¶ 59 Leave a comment on paragraph 59 0 Honoring the way of the monk……………………………………………………………….. 30

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¶ 61 Leave a comment on paragraph 61 0 The Buddha calls all to his teaching………………………………………………………… 35

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¶ 63 Leave a comment on paragraph 63 0 Gathered and seated……………………………………………………………………………….. 37

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¶ 65 Leave a comment on paragraph 65 0 How the conversation began…………………………………………………………………… 39

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¶ 67 Leave a comment on paragraph 67 0 How the Buddhas help……………………………………………………………………………. 42

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¶ 69 Leave a comment on paragraph 69 0 Subhuti’s question…………………………………………………………………………………… 48

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¶ 71 Leave a comment on paragraph 71 0 Life, practice, & thought………………………………………………………………………….. 50

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¶ 73 Leave a comment on paragraph 73 0 Subhuti is asked to listen…………………………………………………………………………. 52

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¶ 76 Leave a comment on paragraph 76 0 Appendices…………………………………………………………………………. 55

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¶ 78 Leave a comment on paragraph 78 0 Comparative list of the names of divine beings & places………………………… 56

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¶ 80 Leave a comment on paragraph 80 0 Bibliography of works originally written in Sanskrit………………………………. 57

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¶ 82 Leave a comment on paragraph 82 0 Bibliography of works originally written in Tibetan……………………………….. 59

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¶ 90 Leave a comment on paragraph 90 0 Kamalashila’s

¶ 91 Leave a comment on paragraph 91 0 Great Commentary to the

¶ 92 Leave a comment on paragraph 92 0 Diamond Cutter Sutra

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¶ 96 Leave a comment on paragraph 96 0 The title of the work

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¶ 98 Leave a comment on paragraph 98 0 [f. 204a]

¶ 99 Leave a comment on paragraph 99 0 *,,RGYA GAR SKAD DU, A’ARYA PRADZNY’A P’A RA MI TA BADZRA TZTSI {%TZTSE} DI KA t’I K’A, BOD SKAD DU, ‘PHAGS PA SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA RDO RJE GCOD PA’I RGYA CHER ‘GREL PA,

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¶ 101 Leave a comment on paragraph 101 0 In the language of India, this book is called Arya Prajna Paramita Vajra Chedika Tika.

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¶ 103 Leave a comment on paragraph 103 0 In the language of Tibet, this is Pakpa Sherab Kyi Parul Tu Chinpa Dorje Chupay Gyacher Drelpa.

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¶ 105 Leave a comment on paragraph 105 0 In the English language, this is A Detailed Commentary to the Diamond Cutter: An Exalted Presentation of the Perfection of Wisdom.[1]

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¶ 109 Leave a comment on paragraph 109 0 The translators bow

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¶ 111 Leave a comment on paragraph 111 0 ‘JAM DPAL GZHON NUR GYUR PA LA PHYAG ‘TSAL LO,,

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¶ 113 Leave a comment on paragraph 113 0 I bow down to Manjushri, the Gentle Voice, become Young.[2]

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¶ 117 Leave a comment on paragraph 117 0 And bowing to emptiness

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¶ 119 Leave a comment on paragraph 119 0 ,GANG LA SKYE BO KUN LA GRAGS LUS MDUN NA GSAL BAR SNANG BA YANG,

¶ 120 Leave a comment on paragraph 120 0 ,DNGOS PO’I NGO BOR ‘BYOR BA MI RNYED RAB STON RGYAL BA THAMS CAD KYIS,

¶ 121 Leave a comment on paragraph 121 0 ,YANG DAG DAM PA RTAG PA MCHOG GI ‘BRAS BU THOB PA’I GNAS BRTAN PA,

¶ 122 Leave a comment on paragraph 122 0 ,DUS GSUM BZHUGS PA’I SANGS RGYAS KUN SKYED DE LA RAB GUS BDAG PHYAG ‘TSAL,

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¶ 124 Leave a comment on paragraph 124 0 There is a thing which makes its appearance

¶ 125 Leave a comment on paragraph 125 0 To every living being, right in front of them,

¶ 126 Leave a comment on paragraph 126 0 Bright as day—and yet they never touch it.

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¶ 128 Leave a comment on paragraph 128 0 And every enlightened being

¶ 129 Leave a comment on paragraph 129 0 Teaches it constantly; for it is the place

¶ 130 Leave a comment on paragraph 130 0 Of ultimate truth, changeless, supreme,

¶ 131 Leave a comment on paragraph 131 0 The unmoving goal that they have reached.

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¶ 133 Leave a comment on paragraph 133 0 And so in high respect I bow myself down

¶ 134 Leave a comment on paragraph 134 0 To the emptiness which has given birth

¶ 135 Leave a comment on paragraph 135 0 To every Buddha there has ever been,

¶ 136 Leave a comment on paragraph 136 0 Is now, and ever shall be.

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¶ 140 Leave a comment on paragraph 140 0 A promise to write

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¶ 142 Leave a comment on paragraph 142 0 ,GANG LA CUNG ZAD GOMS BYAS SKAD CIG TU YANG DGE BA RGYA CHEN SOGS,

¶ 143 Leave a comment on paragraph 143 0 ,GANG PHYIR SDIG PA RAB TU CHE BA MTHA’ DAG RTZA NAS ZAD BYED PA,

¶ 144 Leave a comment on paragraph 144 0 ,DE BAS DE NI GOMS PAR BYA PHYIR BLA MA RNAMS KYIS BSTAN PA YI,

¶ 145 Leave a comment on paragraph 145 0 ,LAM LAS BRTAGS TE BDAG BLOS JI LTAR LCOGS PAS BDAG GIS ‘DI BGYI’O,,

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¶ 147 Leave a comment on paragraph 147 0 There is a thing which,

¶ 148 Leave a comment on paragraph 148 0 If you keep it at your side

¶ 149 Leave a comment on paragraph 149 0 For even a moment,

¶ 150 Leave a comment on paragraph 150 0 You make massive

¶ 151 Leave a comment on paragraph 151 0 Good karmic seeds;

¶ 152 Leave a comment on paragraph 152 0 And finish off as well

¶ 153 Leave a comment on paragraph 153 0 Massive negative seeds,

¶ 154 Leave a comment on paragraph 154 0 All of them, from the roots.

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¶ 156 Leave a comment on paragraph 156 0 That’s why I will write of it here,

¶ 157 Leave a comment on paragraph 157 0 To keep it close to me,

¶ 158 Leave a comment on paragraph 158 0 To the very best of my capacity,

¶ 159 Leave a comment on paragraph 159 0 And after giving careful thought

¶ 160 Leave a comment on paragraph 160 0 To how my teachers taught it to me.

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¶ 164 Leave a comment on paragraph 164 0 A plan for the work

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¶ 166 Leave a comment on paragraph 166 0 DE LA MDO SDE ‘CHAD PAR ‘DOD PAS NYAN PA DAG NAN GYIS LEN PA LA SOGS PA LA GZUD PA’I PHYIR DANG POR DGOS PA DE BRJOD PAR BYA’O, ,DGOS PA MA RTOGS PAR NI RTOGS PA DANG LDAN PA DAG GANG LA YANG ‘JUG PAR MI ‘GYUR RO,,

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¶ 168 Leave a comment on paragraph 168 0 Here’s the general plan to this commentary.  To engage those people who have a desire to hear an explanation of this sutra—to get them to really listen, and to throw themselves into practicing it, and so on—I’m going first to clarify the goals of this presentation.  That’s because people with insight never engage in something if they can’t see any particular goal to doing so.

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¶ 171 Leave a comment on paragraph 171 0 DE’I ‘OG TU MDO SDE’I DGOS PA’I THABS BSTAN PA’I PHYIR BRJOD PAR BYA BA BSNYAD PAR BYA STE, BRJOD PAR BYA BAS STONG PA’I MDO NI SE’U BCU ZHES BYA BA LA SOGS PA’I TSIG BZHIN DU DGOS PA ‘DOD PA SGRUB PAR MI BYED DO,,

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¶ 173 Leave a comment on paragraph 173 0 Once I’ve covered the goals of this work, I’ll relate how it is that the work gives us a method to reach these same goals.  Because a sutra that lacks any substantial subject matter isn’t going to help us reach the goals we seek—in the end it would be just like chewing on a mouthful of jawbreakers.[3]

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¶ 176 Leave a comment on paragraph 176 0 DE’I ‘OG TU BRJOD PAR BYA BA DE GZUNG SLA BA’I PHYIR BSDUS PA’I DON BRJOD PAR BYA’O, ,DE’I ‘OG TU BSDUS PA’I DON RTOGS PAR BYA BA’I PHYIR TSIG GI DON BRJOD PAR BYA’O,,

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¶ 178 Leave a comment on paragraph 178 0 After that, I’ll summarize the subject matter of the work to make it easier to identify; and then we’ll go into an explanation of the wording so that one can fully grasp this summary.

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¶ 181 Leave a comment on paragraph 181 0 DE’I ‘OG TU GO RIMS MI ‘GAL BAR BSTAN PA’I PHYIR TSIG RNAMS KYI MTSAMS SBYAR BA BSTAN PAR BYA’O, ,DE’I ‘OG TU SNGA PHYI’I RIGS PA DANG ‘GAL BA BSAL BA’I PHYIR RGOL BA’I LAN BRJOD PAR BYA STE, TSUL NI DE LTA BU’O,,

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¶ 183 Leave a comment on paragraph 183 0 Following that, we’ll describe the logical flow of the wording, so you can see that there are no contradictions in the order the ideas are presented.  And then finally we’ll address possible objections to these ideas, clarifying any apparent contradictions as the work proceeds.

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¶ 187 Leave a comment on paragraph 187 0 Why it’s called the “Diamond Cutter”

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¶ 189 Leave a comment on paragraph 189 0 [K1]

¶ 190 Leave a comment on paragraph 190 0 Vajracchedikā nāma triśatikā prajñāpāramitā. [4]

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¶ 192 Leave a comment on paragraph 192 0 在古印度的梵文中，这部经典名为《Arya Vajrachedika Nama Prajna Paramita Mahayana Sutra》，藏文为《Pakpa Sherab Kyi Parol Tu Chinpa Dorje Chupa Shejawa Tekpa Chenpoy Do》。英文为《An Exalted Sutra of the Greater Way entitled “The Diamond Cutter”: A Teaching on the Perfection of Wisdom》，中文为《能断金刚般若波罗蜜多经》。

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¶ 194 Leave a comment on paragraph 194 0 [f. 215a]

¶ 195 Leave a comment on paragraph 195 0 ,,RGYA GAR SKAD DU, A’ARYA BADZRA TZTSE DA KA N’A MA PRA DZNY’A PA {%P’A} RA MI TA {%T’A} MA H’A YA {Y’A} NA S’U TRA,

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¶ 197 Leave a comment on paragraph 197 0 BOD SKAD DU, ‘PHAGS PA SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA RDO RJE GCOD PA ZHES BYA BA THEG PA CHEN PO’I MDO,

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¶ 199 Leave a comment on paragraph 199 0 In the language of India, this teaching is called Arya Vajrachedika Nama Prajna Paramita Mahayana Sutra.

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¶ 201 Leave a comment on paragraph 201 0 In the language of Tibet, this is Pakpa Sherab Kyi Parol Tu Chinpa Dorje Chupa Shejawa Tekpa Chenpoy Do.

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¶ 203 Leave a comment on paragraph 203 0 In the English language, it is An Exalted Sutra of the Greater Way entitled “The Diamond Cutter”: A Teaching on the Perfection of Wisdom.

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¶ 206 Leave a comment on paragraph 206 0 DE LA MDO SDE ‘DI’I MING RDO RJE GCOD PA ZHES BYA BA DE NYID KYIS BRJOD PAR BYA BA DANG DGOS PA BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 208 Leave a comment on paragraph 208 0 The name of this sutra is “The Diamond Cutter”; and this name itself describes both the subject matter and the goals of this teaching.

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¶ 211 Leave a comment on paragraph 211 0 ‘DI LTAR RNAM PA GNYIS KYIS RDO RJE GCOD PA YIN TE, NYON MONGS PA DANG SHES BYA’I SGRIB PA PHRA BA RDO RJE LTAR GZHIG DKA’ BA DE GCOD PA’I PHYIR TE, ‘DIS NI SGRIB PA GNYIS SPONG BA ‘DI’I DGOS [f. 204b] PA BSTAN PA YIN NO,,

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¶ 213 Leave a comment on paragraph 213 0 Because it is a diamond cutter in two different ways.  The obstacles of our negative emotions, which keep us from nirvana; and the obstacles that keep us from full omniscience are both insidious and subtle within us, like tiny diamonds, difficult to destroy.  And yet they are cut by the perfection of wisdom which this sutra teaches.  And so the title indicates this great goal: of ridding ourselves forever of these two types of spiritual obstacles.

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¶ 215 Leave a comment on paragraph 215 0 YANG NA GCOD PA NI RDO RJE’I DBYIBS DANG ‘DRA BAS RDO RJE LTA BU ZHES BYA STE, RDO RJE NI RTZE MO GNYIS SBOM LA DBUS PHRA MOR BYED DO,,

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¶ 217 Leave a comment on paragraph 217 0 Or we can say that this perfection—the one that does the cutting—resembles the shape of a diamond: wider on the two ends, and more narrow in the center.[5]

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¶ 219 Leave a comment on paragraph 219 0 DE BZHIN DU SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA ‘DI YANG THOG MA DANG THA MA MOS PAS SPYOD PA’I SA DANG, SANGS RGYAS KYI SA RGYA CHE BAR YONGS SU BSTAN TO, ,DBUS PHRA MOS NI LHAG PA’I BSAM PA DAG PA’I SA BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 222 Leave a comment on paragraph 222 0 Here too the perfection of wisdom is wider at the ends: referring to the time spent in the beginning at the levels where our understanding of emptiness is only intellectual; and then the eternal time spent within our enlightenment, at the end.  And then inbetween are the levels of our first direct meditations on emptiness, combined with our high intentions to reach Buddhahood to help all beings.

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¶ 225 Leave a comment on paragraph 225 0 DE BAS NA ‘DI NI RDO RJE’I RNAM PA LTA BU YIN TE, ‘DIS NI SA GSUM PO ‘DI’I BRJOD PAR BYA BA YIN PAR BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 227 Leave a comment on paragraph 227 0 Thus again the wisdom of this teaching recalls a diamond; and the image is to indicate that we will be covering these three broad stages of spiritual development.

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¶ 231 Leave a comment on paragraph 231 0 A summary of the sutra

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¶ 233 Leave a comment on paragraph 233 0 [K2]

¶ 234 Leave a comment on paragraph 234 0 Namo Bhagavatyā āryaprajñāpāramitāyai.[6]

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¶ 236 Leave a comment on paragraph 236 0 顶礼诸佛菩萨。

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¶ 238 Leave a comment on paragraph 238 0 SANGS RGYAS DANG BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ THAMS CAD LA PHYAG ‘TSAL LO,,

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¶ 240 Leave a comment on paragraph 240 0 I bow down to all Buddhas and bodhisattvas.[7]

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¶ 243 Leave a comment on paragraph 243 0 BSDUS PA’I DON NI MDOR BSDUS NA RNAM PA LNGA STE, ‘DI LTA STE, GLENG GZHI DANG, GLENG BSLANG BA DANG, SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR BYA BA DANG, SGRUB PA’I MTSAN NYID DANG, DE’I GNAS SO,,

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¶ 245 Leave a comment on paragraph 245 0 As for our summary of the subject matter, we can group it into five sections: (1) setting the scene; (2) starting the conversation; (3) describing how the family line of the Buddha will continue, without interruption; (4) a definitive presentation of spiritual practice; and (5) a description of where that practice will take us.

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¶ 248 Leave a comment on paragraph 248 0 DE LA GLENG GZHI NI MDO SDE ‘BYUNG BA’I RGYU STE, DE YANG ‘DI SKAD BDAG GIS THOS PA ZHES BYA BA NAS BRTZAMS TE, DE NAS TSE DANG LDAN PA RAB ‘BYOR ZHES BYA BA’I BAR ‘DIS BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 250 Leave a comment on paragraph 250 0 The section on setting the scene describes how this particular teaching came about.  It begins with the line “These words once I heard” and continues up to “Then the junior monk Subhuti…”

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¶ 253 Leave a comment on paragraph 253 0 DE BAS NI YANG DAG PAR SDUD PAR BYED PAS BDAG LA YID CHES PAR BYA BA BRJOD PA’I PHYIR TE, MDO SDE THAMS CAD LA YANG BRJOD PAR BYA’O,,

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¶ 255 Leave a comment on paragraph 255 0 This section serves to communicate to the reader that the sutra was properly compiled, so that they can be confident of its subject matter.  A similar part thus appears at the beginning of every Buddhist sutra.

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¶ 258 Leave a comment on paragraph 258 0 GLENG BSLANG BA NI MDO SDE’I DON BSHAD PAR BYA BA’I PHYIR SKABS DANG SBYAR BA STE, SKABS SU MA BAB PAR SMRAS NA THAMS CAD ‘CHAL BAR ‘GYUR BAS ‘CHAL BA BSAL BA’I PHYIR THAMS CAD DU YANG SKABS DANG SBYAR BAR BYA’O, ,DE NAS TSE DANG LDAN PA RAB ‘BYOR STAN LAS LANGS TE ZHES BYA BA LA SOGS PAS BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 260 Leave a comment on paragraph 260 0 The section on how the discussion begins is meant to introduce the instructional part of the sutra.  Without these kinds of segues, the various parts of the sutra can seem to clash with each other—thus we constantly see this kind of bridge.  This is indicated in our sutra here with the wording which begins with “Then the junior monk Subhuti rose from his cushion…”

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¶ 263 Leave a comment on paragraph 263 0 SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR BYA BA YANG DE NYID KYIS BSTAN TE, SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA ‘DI SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR BYED PA YIN PAR ‘PHAGS PA RAB ‘BYOR GYIS RIG NAS, JI LTAR SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR ‘GYUR BA DE NYID GNAS BRTAN RAB ‘BYOR GYIS THOG MAR BKOD DO,,

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¶ 265 Leave a comment on paragraph 265 0 This same wording serves itself to indicate how the family line of the Buddha will continue on without interruption.  In recognition of the fact that the realized being Subhuti will be the very one who assures that the family line of the Buddha will continue on—that is, that this teaching of the perfection of wisdom will be carried on—he appears here at the very beginning; and in fact he begins immediately this very act of assuring that the line continues, by what he then says.

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¶ 268 Leave a comment on paragraph 268 0 SGRUB PA’I MTSAN NYID NI BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’I THEG PA LA YANG DAG PAR ZHUGS PAS JI LTAR GNAS PAR BGYI ZHES BYA BA LA SOGS PAS BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 270 Leave a comment on paragraph 270 0 The next topic—a definitive presentation of spiritual practice—begins with Subhuti’s opening question: “And now, o Conquering One, what of those who have entered well into the way of the bodhisattva?  How shall they live?”

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¶ 273 Leave a comment on paragraph 273 0 SGRUB PA’I MTSAN NYID DE’I GNAS NI YUL GANG LA BYANG CHUB SEMS DPAS GNAS PAR BYA BA DANG, BSGRUB PAR BYA BA DANG, SEMS RAB TU GZUNG BAR BYA BA GANG YIN PA STE, DE NI DE’I GNAS ZHES [f. 205a] BYA’O,,

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¶ 275 Leave a comment on paragraph 275 0 Where we want to go with our practice is refers to the three parts of Subhuti’s question: that is, where should bodhisattvas live; where should they practice; and where should they keep their thoughts.  These we call then the “place” of the bodhisattvas: where they want to go.

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¶ 278 Leave a comment on paragraph 278 0 DE YANG RAB ‘BYOR ‘DI LA BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’I THEG PA LA YANG DAG PAR ZHUGS PA ‘DI SNYAM DU BDAG GIS ZHES BYA BA NAS BRTZAMS TE, SKAR MA RAB RIB CES BYA BA LA SOGS PA THA MA’I TSIGS SU BCAD PA’I BAR GYIS BSTAN TO,,

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¶ 280 Leave a comment on paragraph 280 0 The explanation of this “where” begins in the sutra with the words:

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¶ 282 Leave a comment on paragraph 282 0 Subhuti, this is how those who have entered well into the way of the bodhisattva must think to themselves as they feel the Wish to achieve enlightenment: “I will bring…”

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¶ 284 Leave a comment on paragraph 284 0 And it continues all the way up to the final verse of the entire sutra—the part that begins:

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¶ 286 Leave a comment on paragraph 286 0 See anything

¶ 287 Leave a comment on paragraph 287 0 Brought about by causes

¶ 288 Leave a comment on paragraph 288 0 As like a star,

¶ 289 Leave a comment on paragraph 289 0 An obstruction of the eye…

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¶ 292 Leave a comment on paragraph 292 0 SGRUB PA’I MTSAN NYID DANG DE’I GNAS ‘DI GNYIS KYIS NI BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’I BYA BA MTHA’ DAG YONGS SU RDZOGS PAR BSTAN TE ‘DI NI RE ZHIG BSDUS PA’I DON TO,,

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¶ 294 Leave a comment on paragraph 294 0 The description of spiritual practice, and where we want to take it—these two sections—actually present in its entirety the way of life of a bodhisattva.

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¶ 296 Leave a comment on paragraph 296 0 This then completes our overview summary of the sutra.

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¶ 300 Leave a comment on paragraph 300 0 Once I heard

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¶ 302 Leave a comment on paragraph 302 0 TSIG GI DON LA SOGS PA YANG BRJOD PAR BYA STE, DE DAG DE BRJOD DO,,

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¶ 304 Leave a comment on paragraph 304 0 Now I’ll go into the explanation of the wording here, so we can fully grasp the summary—since after all it is expressed in the wording.

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¶ 307 Leave a comment on paragraph 307 0 [K3]

¶ 308 Leave a comment on paragraph 308 0 (1) Evaṃ mayā śrutam. [8]

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¶ 310 Leave a comment on paragraph 310 0 如是我闻。

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¶ 312 Leave a comment on paragraph 312 0 ‘DI SKAD BDAG GIS THOS PA DUS GCIG NA,

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¶ 314 Leave a comment on paragraph 314 0 These words once I heard.

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¶ 317 Leave a comment on paragraph 317 0 DE LA ‘DI SKAD CES BYA BA’I SGRA NI KHAS LEN PA LA SOGS PA DON MANG PO ZHIG TU YANG SNANG MOD KYI, ‘DIR NI SKABS LA SOGS PA’I STOBS KYIS NI ‘JOG PA YIN PAR BZUNG NGO, ,’DI NI MDO SDE’I DON ‘OG NAS ‘BYUNG BA MTHA’ DAG ‘JOG PAR BYED DO,,

¶ 318 Leave a comment on paragraph 318 0  

¶ 319 Leave a comment on paragraph 319 0 The Sanskrit word evam, or “like that” (which we see here as “these words”), can admittedly have a great number of different meanings—such as an expression of agreement.  Here though we understand, from the context in which it appears, that it is to be taken as meaning “setting forth.”  The point is that the person who said it is undertaking to set forth the entire sutra, as we see it following.

¶ 320 Leave a comment on paragraph 320 0  

¶ 321 Leave a comment on paragraph 321 0  

¶ 322 Leave a comment on paragraph 322 0 BDAG GIS ZHES BYA BA NI GZHAN RNAM PAR GCOD PAR BYED CING DON MNGON SUM DU THOS PAR BSTAN TO,,

¶ 323 Leave a comment on paragraph 323 0  

¶ 324 Leave a comment on paragraph 324 0 And when the speaker here says “I” heard, they are both excluding the possibility that it was something that others heard; and also indicating that they heard this teaching directly, himself or herself.

¶ 325 Leave a comment on paragraph 325 0  

¶ 326 Leave a comment on paragraph 326 0  

¶ 327 Leave a comment on paragraph 327 0 BDAG NYID KYIS THOS PA GCIG TU BRGYUD DE ‘ONGS PA NI MA YIN NO ZHES BYA BA’I THA TSIG GO,,

¶ 328 Leave a comment on paragraph 328 0  

¶ 329 Leave a comment on paragraph 329 0 It’s like when someone says “I heard it myself!”  That’s equivalent to informing us that they heard it by themselves, and not through someone else.

¶ 330 Leave a comment on paragraph 330 0  

¶ 331 Leave a comment on paragraph 331 0  

¶ 332 Leave a comment on paragraph 332 0 THOS PA ZHES BYA BA NI RTOGS PA DGAG PAR BYED DE, SANGS RGYAS MA GTOGS PAR CHOS ‘DI LTA BU DAG RANG GIS RTOGS PA GZHAN MED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 333 Leave a comment on paragraph 333 0  

¶ 334 Leave a comment on paragraph 334 0 When this speaker says “I heard,” what he or she means to say is that “I don’t mean that I understood it!”  And that’s because we all know that the only person who could really grasp everything presented in this teaching is the Buddha himself.

¶ 335 Leave a comment on paragraph 335 0  

¶ 336 Leave a comment on paragraph 336 0  

¶ 337 Leave a comment on paragraph 337 0 ‘DIS NI YID MI CHES PA SEL BAR BYED DO,,

¶ 338 Leave a comment on paragraph 338 0  

¶ 339 Leave a comment on paragraph 339 0 And the point of this entire line is to prevent those who read this sutra from failing to have faith in it.

¶ 340 Leave a comment on paragraph 340 0  

¶ 341 Leave a comment on paragraph 341 0  

¶ 342 Leave a comment on paragraph 342 0 DUS GCIG CES BYA BA NI DUS GCIG GI TSE STE, DUS THAMS CAD DU CHOS DKON MCHOG ‘DI LTA BU DAG THOS DKA’ BAR BSTAN PA YIN NO,,

¶ 343 Leave a comment on paragraph 343 0  

¶ 344 Leave a comment on paragraph 344 0 And why does this speaker say they heard the teaching “once”?  What they mean to say is that they heard it only one time—which is meant to convey how very difficult it is in this world to hear this kind of rare and supreme teaching continuously.

¶ 345 Leave a comment on paragraph 345 0  

¶ 346 Leave a comment on paragraph 346 0  

¶ 347 Leave a comment on paragraph 347 0 YANG NA BDAG NYID MANG DU THOS PAR STON TO, ,DUS GCIG NA ‘DI THOS KYI GZHAN NA NI GZHAN DAG KYANG THOS SO ZHES STON TO,,

¶ 348 Leave a comment on paragraph 348 0  

¶ 349 Leave a comment on paragraph 349 0 The speaker can also be indicating that they have heard a great many teachings; and so they are saying, “I heard this on one occasion; but on other occasions I have also heard other teachings.”

¶ 350 Leave a comment on paragraph 350 0  

¶ 351 Leave a comment on paragraph 351 0  

¶ 352 Leave a comment on paragraph 352 0 YANG NA DUS GCIG NA BCOM LDAN ‘DAS BZHUGS SO ZHES ‘OG MA DANG SBYAR TE, GDUL BA DPAG TU MED PA DE DAG LA PHAN GDAGS PA’I DON DU GZHAN NA NI GZHAN BZHUGS SO ZHES GZHAG PA YIN NO,,

¶ 353 Leave a comment on paragraph 353 0  

¶ 354 Leave a comment on paragraph 354 0 The person who speaks this line can also be indicating that “the Buddha was here present, on this one occasion,” in the context of what follows.  And then the implication is that the Buddha is present—at other times and in other places—in order to be of help to infinite numbers of other disciples.

¶ 355 Leave a comment on paragraph 355 0  

¶ 356 Leave a comment on paragraph 356 0  

¶ 357 Leave a comment on paragraph 357 0  

¶ 358 Leave a comment on paragraph 358 0 A politician and a businessperson

¶ 359 Leave a comment on paragraph 359 0  

¶ 360 Leave a comment on paragraph 360 0 [K4]

¶ 361 Leave a comment on paragraph 361 0 Ekasmin samaye Bhagavān Śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma Jetavane’nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme…

¶ 362 Leave a comment on paragraph 362 0  

¶ 363 Leave a comment on paragraph 363 0 一时，薄伽梵在室罗筏，住誓多林给孤独园，

¶ 364 Leave a comment on paragraph 364 0  

¶ 365 Leave a comment on paragraph 365 0 BCOM LDAN ‘DAS MNYAN DU YOD PA NA RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED KYI TSAL MGON MED ZAS SBYIN GYI KUN DGA’ RA BA NA…

¶ 366 Leave a comment on paragraph 366 0  

¶ 367 Leave a comment on paragraph 367 0 The Conqueror was residing at Shravasti, in the park of Anatha Pindada in the gardens of Prince Jeta.

¶ 368 Leave a comment on paragraph 368 0  

¶ 369 Leave a comment on paragraph 369 0  

¶ 370 Leave a comment on paragraph 370 0 BCOM LDAN ‘DAS ZHES BYA BA NI NYON MONGS PA DANG, PHUNG PO DANG, ‘CHI BDAG DANG, LHA’I BU’I MTSAN NYID KYI BDUD DANG BDUD BZHI BCOM PA DANG LDAN PAS NGES PA’I TSIG GI TSUL GYIS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS ZHES BYA’O,,

¶ 371 Leave a comment on paragraph 371 0  

¶ 372 Leave a comment on paragraph 372 0 The Buddha is here refered to as “The Conqueror,” or “Bhagavan” in Sanskrit, as a literal epithet—in that he is someone who has conquered four actual demons: the demon of the negative emotions; the demon of the impure body & mind; the demon of the Lord of Death; and the demon that we call the “divine youth.”[9]

¶ 373 Leave a comment on paragraph 373 0  

¶ 374 Leave a comment on paragraph 374 0  

¶ 375 Leave a comment on paragraph 375 0 YANG NA DBANG PO LA SOGS PA DANG LDAN PAS LEGS LDAN ZHES BYA STE, JI SKAD DU,

¶ 376 Leave a comment on paragraph 376 0  

¶ 377 Leave a comment on paragraph 377 0 The Sanskrit word here, “Bhagavan,” can also connote “one who possesses excellence”—referring in this case to an Enlightened Being, one who possesses the powers and so on.[10]  For we do see the following lines in scripture:

¶ 378 Leave a comment on paragraph 378 0  

¶ 379 Leave a comment on paragraph 379 0 ,DBANG DANG RAB TU LDAN PA DANG,

¶ 380 Leave a comment on paragraph 380 0 ,GZUGS DANG DPAL DANG GRAGS PA DANG [f. 205b],

¶ 381 Leave a comment on paragraph 381 0 ,YE SHES DANG NI NAN TAN DANG,

¶ 382 Leave a comment on paragraph 382 0 ,DRUG PO DE LA LEGS ZHES BYA,

¶ 383 Leave a comment on paragraph 383 0  

¶ 384 Leave a comment on paragraph 384 0 ,ZHES BSHAD PA LTA BU’O,,

¶ 385 Leave a comment on paragraph 385 0  

¶ 386 Leave a comment on paragraph 386 0 “Excellence” can refer

¶ 387 Leave a comment on paragraph 387 0 To six different things:

¶ 388 Leave a comment on paragraph 388 0 To possessing power to the highest;

¶ 389 Leave a comment on paragraph 389 0 To ones appearance; ones glory;

¶ 390 Leave a comment on paragraph 390 0 Ones fame; ones wisdom;

¶ 391 Leave a comment on paragraph 391 0 And ones persistence.[11]

¶ 392 Leave a comment on paragraph 392 0  

¶ 393 Leave a comment on paragraph 393 0  

¶ 394 Leave a comment on paragraph 394 0 MNYAN YOD CES BYA BA NI DRANG SRONG MNYAN YOD CES BYA BA’I BSTI GNAS YIN PA’I PHYIR GRONG KHYER MNYAN YOD DE, DES MTSON PA’I YUL GYI BYE BRAG KYANG LHAN CIG ‘BREL PA’I PHYIR MNYAN YOD CES BYA’O,,

¶ 395 Leave a comment on paragraph 395 0  

¶ 396 Leave a comment on paragraph 396 0 Now the city of Shravasti took its name from a certain saint by the name of Shravasti, who made this place his usual residence; the word also means “renowned,” and so it was.  And the various environs connected to that particular spot had also come to be known as “Shravasti.”

¶ 397 Leave a comment on paragraph 397 0  

¶ 398 Leave a comment on paragraph 398 0  

¶ 399 Leave a comment on paragraph 399 0 YUL SMOS PA DE YANG YUL DE MCHOD RTEN DU GYUR PAR BRJOD PA’I PHYIR TE, ‘DI LTAR ‘DI NYID LAS KYANG SA PHYOGS DE MCHOD RTEN DU GYUR PA YIN ZHES BRJOD DO,,

¶ 400 Leave a comment on paragraph 400 0  

¶ 401 Leave a comment on paragraph 401 0 When we speak of a “land” of Shravasti, we are also speaking of a place that had itself become a place worthy of reverence—a huge offering shrine.  And so sometimes the land was spoken of as The Shrine.

¶ 402 Leave a comment on paragraph 402 0  

¶ 403 Leave a comment on paragraph 403 0  

¶ 404 Leave a comment on paragraph 404 0 YANG NA YANG DAG PAR SDUD PAR BYED PAS BDAG GI TSIG GZUNG BAR ‘OS PAR BSGRUB PA’I PHYIR THAMS CAD SMOS TE,

¶ 405 Leave a comment on paragraph 405 0  

¶ 406 Leave a comment on paragraph 406 0 We can also say that this part of the descripton has been given by the person who compiled the sutra, in order to demonstrate that the words to come are worthy of belief.

¶ 407 Leave a comment on paragraph 407 0  

¶ 408 Leave a comment on paragraph 408 0  

¶ 409 Leave a comment on paragraph 409 0 ‘DI LTAR ‘JIG RTEN YID CHES PAR BYA BA’I DON NI SA PHYOGS DANG BCAS PA RNAM PA DANG BCAS, DBANG PHYUG DANG BCAS PAS SMRAS NA, GZHAN DAG GIS TSIG GZUNG BAR ‘GYUR GYI, GZHAN DU NA TSIG GZUNG BAR ‘OS PAR MI ‘GYUR RO,,

¶ 410 Leave a comment on paragraph 410 0  

¶ 411 Leave a comment on paragraph 411 0 Even in the everyday world, people will mention a certain place; and its general appearance; and the people in charge of it, in order to establish some credibility for what they are going to say about it.  Then people will consider what they have to say, whereas this might not be the case otherwise.

¶ 412 Leave a comment on paragraph 412 0  

¶ 413 Leave a comment on paragraph 413 0  

¶ 414 Leave a comment on paragraph 414 0 YUL MNYAN YOD HA CANG RGYA CHES TE GANG NA BZHUGS GTOL MED PAS RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED KYI TSAL ZHES BYA BA SMOS TE, DE RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED CES BYA BA DE’I TSAL YIN PAS RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED KYI TSAL LO,,

¶ 415 Leave a comment on paragraph 415 0  

¶ 416 Leave a comment on paragraph 416 0 Now the land of Shravasti was a very broad one; and so our reader would have no certainty about just where it was that Lord Buddha was residing.  Thus mention is made of the “gardens of Prince Jeta.”  This place took its name because it was indeed a place of gardens, which belonged to a person named Jeta, who was the son of a king.

¶ 417 Leave a comment on paragraph 417 0  

¶ 418 Leave a comment on paragraph 418 0  

¶ 419 Leave a comment on paragraph 419 0 DE YANG JI STE NA SU LA YANG MA GRAGS KYANG SRID PAS MGON MED ZAS SBYIN GYI KUN DGA’ RA BA NA ZHES BYA BA SMOS TE, KHYIM BDAG MGON MED ZAS SBYIN ZHES PA MGON MED PA RNAMS LA SNYING BRTZE BA STE ZAS SBYIN PAS DE LTAR GRAGS PA

¶ 420 Leave a comment on paragraph 420 0  

¶ 421 Leave a comment on paragraph 421 0 Now it might be the case that most people wouldn’t know about this, and so our speaker further mentions the “park of Anatha Pindada.”  This name is a reference to a certain householder who was known for the compassion he felt for those who had no one to care for them; for the Sanskrit word anatha means “one with no protector.”  And he would give food to them—where da in Sanskrit means to give; and the word for food is pinda.  Thus, A-natha Pinda-da: “the one who gives food to those with no one to help them.”

¶ 422 Leave a comment on paragraph 422 0  

¶ 423 Leave a comment on paragraph 423 0  

¶ 424 Leave a comment on paragraph 424 0 DES BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI PHYIR RIN PO CHE BKRAM PA GSHIBS PAS RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED LAS KUN DGA’I RA BA NYOS PA DANG, RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED KYIS KYANG DE LAS CUNG ZHIG BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI PHYIR KHANG PA LA SOGS PA BRGYAN DU BCUG PAS DE GNYIS KYI TSAL DE GRAGS SO,,

¶ 425 Leave a comment on paragraph 425 0  

¶ 426 Leave a comment on paragraph 426 0 This householder had purchased the park for the Conqueror by paying Prince Jeta a quantity of jewels measured by spreading them across the breadth of the park’s land.  Shortly afterwards, the prince himself had had the park adorned with a residence and so forth for the Conqueror; and so the gardens came to be associated with both these sponsors’ names.

¶ 427 Leave a comment on paragraph 427 0  

¶ 428 Leave a comment on paragraph 428 0  

¶ 429 Leave a comment on paragraph 429 0 GANG YANG RUNG BA ZHIG SMOS NA NI YUL GYI BYE BRAG BRJOD PAR ‘DOD PA RTOGS PAR MI ‘GYUR BAS TSIG GSUM CHAR SMOS SO,,

¶ 430 Leave a comment on paragraph 430 0  

¶ 431 Leave a comment on paragraph 431 0 And so all three particulars are mentioned here—Shravasti, the gardens of the Prince; and the park of the householder—since we want our reader to know just where it was that Lord Buddha was residing; and if only any one were mentioned, they might not be able to place it.

¶ 432 Leave a comment on paragraph 432 0  

¶ 433 Leave a comment on paragraph 433 0  

¶ 434 Leave a comment on paragraph 434 0 YANG NA MNYAN YOD CES BYA BA ‘DIS NI MANG PO’I NANG NA BZHUGS PAS GZHAN GYI DON PHUN SUM TSOGS PA STON TO,,

¶ 435 Leave a comment on paragraph 435 0  

¶ 436 Leave a comment on paragraph 436 0 We can also say that—by selecting a very populated place such as Shravasti in which to make his residence—Lord Buddha is showing how he acts, perfectly, to serve the needs of others.

¶ 437 Leave a comment on paragraph 437 0  

¶ 438 Leave a comment on paragraph 438 0  

¶ 439 Leave a comment on paragraph 439 0 RGYAL BU RGYAL BYED KYI TSAL MGON MED ZAS SBYIN GYI KUN DGA’ RA BA ZHES BYA BA ‘DIS NI DBEN PA NA BZHUGS PAS RANG GI DON PHUN SUM TSOGS PA’O,,

¶ 440 Leave a comment on paragraph 440 0  

¶ 441 Leave a comment on paragraph 441 0 And then by adding that he is staying in the still and quiet of gardens of Prince Jeta in the park of Anatha Pindada, we understand that the Buddha is also acting, perfectly, to fulfil his own needs.[12]

¶ 442 Leave a comment on paragraph 442 0  

¶ 443 Leave a comment on paragraph 443 0  

¶ 444 Leave a comment on paragraph 444 0  

¶ 445 Leave a comment on paragraph 445 0 A gathering of the monks & bodhisattvas

¶ 446 Leave a comment on paragraph 446 0  

¶ 447 Leave a comment on paragraph 447 0 [K5]

¶ 448 Leave a comment on paragraph 448 0 …mahatā bhikṣusaṃghena sārthaṃ trayodaśabhirbhikṣuśataiḥ saṃbahulaiśca bodhisattvairmahāsattvaiḥ.

¶ 449 Leave a comment on paragraph 449 0  

¶ 450 Leave a comment on paragraph 450 0 与大苾刍众千二百五十人俱。

¶ 451 Leave a comment on paragraph 451 0  

¶ 452 Leave a comment on paragraph 452 0 DGE SLONG STONG NYIS BRGYA LNGA BCU’I DGE SLONG GI DGE ‘DUN CHEN PO DANG, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO RAB TU MANG PO DANG THABS GCIG TU BZHUGS TE,

¶ 453 Leave a comment on paragraph 453 0  

¶ 454 Leave a comment on paragraph 454 0 In convocation with him was a great gathering of 1,250 monks who were listeners, as well as an immense number of bodhisattvas who were great beings.

¶ 455 Leave a comment on paragraph 455 0  

¶ 456 Leave a comment on paragraph 456 0  

¶ 457 Leave a comment on paragraph 457 0 ‘DI LA DBANG SU {%’BANGS SU} {with an added second SU?} YOD SNYAM PA LA, DGE SLONG GI DGE ‘DUN CHEN PO ZHES BYA BA SMOS [f. 206a] TE, NYON MONGS PA DANG BRAL BAS DGE SLONG DAG GO,,

¶ 458 Leave a comment on paragraph 458 0  

¶ 459 Leave a comment on paragraph 459 0 Now our reader might wonder who was sitting in attendance to Lord Buddha at the gardens.  And thus it is that the sutra mentions “a great gathering of monks.”  The word “monk” in the Sanskrit here is bhikshu; they are so called because they have “divided” themselves from the negative emotions—and the Sanskrit for “divide” is bhiksha.[13]

¶ 460 Leave a comment on paragraph 460 0  

¶ 461 Leave a comment on paragraph 461 0  

¶ 462 Leave a comment on paragraph 462 0 BDUD LA SOGS PA’I PHYIR RGOL BA DAG GIS MI PHYED PAS MANG PO DE DAG LA DGE ‘DUN ZHES BYA’O,,

¶ 463 Leave a comment on paragraph 463 0  

¶ 464 Leave a comment on paragraph 464 0 The Sanskrit word for “gathering” here is sangha; this is a term for a group of many people together (sam) who cannot be split up, or hurt (gha, from the root han), by opponents such as the various demons.

¶ 465 Leave a comment on paragraph 465 0  

¶ 466 Leave a comment on paragraph 466 0  

¶ 467 Leave a comment on paragraph 467 0 DGE SLONG GI DGE ‘DUN CHEN PO DE DAG NI PHAL CHE BA DANG MTHU GNYIS TE, DES NI MTHU CHE BA BSTAN TO,,

¶ 468 Leave a comment on paragraph 468 0  

¶ 469 Leave a comment on paragraph 469 0 When the sutra says that the gathering of monks was “great,” it means great in their assembled power, in two senses: great in number, and great in strength.

¶ 470 Leave a comment on paragraph 470 0  

¶ 471 Leave a comment on paragraph 471 0  

¶ 472 Leave a comment on paragraph 472 0 PHAL CHE BA JI LTA BU SNYAM PA DANG, STONG NYIS BRGYA LNGA BCU ZHES BYA BA LA SOGS PA SMOS TE, DE’I TSE NA DE SNYED CIG YOD PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 473 Leave a comment on paragraph 473 0  

¶ 474 Leave a comment on paragraph 474 0 Next the reader might wonder just how big this great gathering was; and so the specific number 1,250 is mentioned; that’s how many were present.

¶ 475 Leave a comment on paragraph 475 0  

¶ 476 Leave a comment on paragraph 476 0  

¶ 477 Leave a comment on paragraph 477 0 DGE SLONG GI DGE ‘DUN PAS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ RAB TU MANG BA NI DE DAG GI CHED DU MDO SDE ‘CHAD PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 478 Leave a comment on paragraph 478 0  

¶ 479 Leave a comment on paragraph 479 0 And since it was a great gathering of monks, very many bodhisattvas were present; and it is for them that the sutra was spoken.

¶ 480 Leave a comment on paragraph 480 0  

¶ 481 Leave a comment on paragraph 481 0  

¶ 482 Leave a comment on paragraph 482 0 DE DAG NI BYANG CHUB TU SNYING STOBS CHE BA’I BSAM PA DANG LDAN PAS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ DAG GO

¶ 483 Leave a comment on paragraph 483 0  

¶ 484 Leave a comment on paragraph 484 0 And we call them “bodhisattvas” because they possess thoughts that are focused, with great courage (sattva), upon gaining enlightenment (bodhi).

¶ 485 Leave a comment on paragraph 485 0  

¶ 486 Leave a comment on paragraph 486 0  

¶ 487 Leave a comment on paragraph 487 0 ,NYAN THOS RNAMS LA YANG BYANG CHUB LA SNYING STOBS YOD PAS DE RNAM PAR GCOD PA’I PHYIR, SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO ZHES BYA BA SMOS TE,

¶ 488 Leave a comment on paragraph 488 0  

¶ 489 Leave a comment on paragraph 489 0 Now there are as well people on the listener track[14] who possess courage focused upon gaining enlightenment; and so as not to include them in the description, the phrase “who were great beings” is also added.

¶ 490 Leave a comment on paragraph 490 0  

¶ 491 Leave a comment on paragraph 491 0  

¶ 492 Leave a comment on paragraph 492 0 CHOS DANG SEMS BSKYED PA DANG, MOS PA DANG, BSAM PA DANG, TSOGS DANG, DUS DANG, YANG DAG PAR ‘GRUB PA’I MTSAN NYID CHEN PO RNAM PA BDUN DANG LDAN PAS SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO DAG GO,,

¶ 493 Leave a comment on paragraph 493 0  

¶ 494 Leave a comment on paragraph 494 0 We call a person a “great being” when they possess seven different kinds of greatness: a great teaching; a great Wish; great aspiration; great thought; great collection; a great period of time; and a great, perfect achievement.

¶ 495 Leave a comment on paragraph 495 0  

¶ 496 Leave a comment on paragraph 496 0  

¶ 497 Leave a comment on paragraph 497 0 DE LA CHOS CHEN PO NI BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ RNAMS LA SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA STONG PHRAG BRGYA PA LA SOGS PA CHOS BSTAN PA RGYA CHE BA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 498 Leave a comment on paragraph 498 0  

¶ 499 Leave a comment on paragraph 499 0 The “great teaching” here refers to the vast teaching which is presented to bodhisattvas: things like the Perfection of Wisdom in 100,000 lines.

¶ 500 Leave a comment on paragraph 500 0  

¶ 501 Leave a comment on paragraph 501 0  

¶ 502 Leave a comment on paragraph 502 0 SEMS BSKYED PA CHEN PO NI BLA NA MED PA YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I BYANG CHUB TU SEMS BSKYED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 503 Leave a comment on paragraph 503 0  

¶ 504 Leave a comment on paragraph 504 0 The “great Wish” is that they feel a wish for matchless, total enlightenment.

¶ 505 Leave a comment on paragraph 505 0  

¶ 506 Leave a comment on paragraph 506 0  

¶ 507 Leave a comment on paragraph 507 0 MOS PA CHEN PO NI DE DAG NYID CHOS ZAB CING CHE BA LA MOS PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 508 Leave a comment on paragraph 508 0  

¶ 509 Leave a comment on paragraph 509 0 The “great aspiration” is that these bodhisattvas aspire torwards a teaching which is both profound and widespread.[15]

¶ 510 Leave a comment on paragraph 510 0  

¶ 511 Leave a comment on paragraph 511 0  

¶ 512 Leave a comment on paragraph 512 0 BSAM PA CHEN PO NI SEMS CAN THAMS CAD LA PHAN PA DANG BDE BA BSKYED PA’I BSAM PA DANG LDAN PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 513 Leave a comment on paragraph 513 0  

¶ 514 Leave a comment on paragraph 514 0 The “great thought” is that they have thoughts of bringing help and happiness to every single living being.

¶ 515 Leave a comment on paragraph 515 0  

¶ 516 Leave a comment on paragraph 516 0  

¶ 517 Leave a comment on paragraph 517 0 TSOGS CHEN PO NI BSOD NAMS DANG YE SHES KYI TSOGS DPAG TU MED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 518 Leave a comment on paragraph 518 0  

¶ 519 Leave a comment on paragraph 519 0 The “great collection” is that they aspire to bringing together an infinite form of the collections of merit and wisdom.

¶ 520 Leave a comment on paragraph 520 0  

¶ 521 Leave a comment on paragraph 521 0  

¶ 522 Leave a comment on paragraph 522 0 DUS CHEN PO NI BSKAL PA CHEN PO GRANGS MED PA GSUM GYIS BYANG CHUB ‘THOB PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 523 Leave a comment on paragraph 523 0  

¶ 524 Leave a comment on paragraph 524 0 The “great period of time” is that they will strive to achieve their enlightenment within three periods of a “countless” number of eons apiece.[16]

¶ 525 Leave a comment on paragraph 525 0  

¶ 526 Leave a comment on paragraph 526 0  

¶ 527 Leave a comment on paragraph 527 0 YANG DAG PAR ‘GRUB PA CHEN PO NI BLA NA MED PA YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I BYANG CHUB YANG DAG PAR ‘GRUB PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 528 Leave a comment on paragraph 528 0  

¶ 529 Leave a comment on paragraph 529 0 The “great, perfect achievement” refers to their working towards the perfect achievement of unsurpassed, total enlightenment.

¶ 530 Leave a comment on paragraph 530 0  

¶ 531 Leave a comment on paragraph 531 0  

¶ 532 Leave a comment on paragraph 532 0 BZHUGS ZHES BYA BA NI SPYOD LAM BZHI PO DAG GIS SAM,

¶ 533 Leave a comment on paragraph 533 0  

¶ 534 Leave a comment on paragraph 534 0 To say that these monks were “sitting in convocation” at the gardens means that they were engaged in the four kinds of activities there.[17]

¶ 535 Leave a comment on paragraph 535 0  

¶ 536 Leave a comment on paragraph 536 0  

¶ 537 Leave a comment on paragraph 537 0 YANG NA TSANGS PA DANG LHA’I DANG, ‘PHAGS PA’I BZHUGS PA BLA NA MED PA DAG GIS BZHUGS PA’O,,

¶ 538 Leave a comment on paragraph 538 0  

¶ 539 Leave a comment on paragraph 539 0 You can also say that the phrase is referring to these beings having sat in the same way that, as the scripture puts it, “matchless beings have sat—in the way of the Pure One; and the gods; and the realized ones.”[18]

¶ 540 Leave a comment on paragraph 540 0  

¶ 541 Leave a comment on paragraph 541 0  

¶ 542 Leave a comment on paragraph 542 0 TE ZHES BYA BA NI BZHUGS ZIN PAR BSTAN PA’O,,

¶ 543 Leave a comment on paragraph 543 0  

¶ 544 Leave a comment on paragraph 544 0 The period at the end of this section is to indicate that these beings were seated—having already sat down.

¶ 545 Leave a comment on paragraph 545 0  

¶ 546 Leave a comment on paragraph 546 0  

¶ 547 Leave a comment on paragraph 547 0 DE LA DGE [f. 206b] SLONG GI DGE ‘DUN NI BYA BA BYAS PA DANG, SNYING RJE BYA BA’I PHYIR DUS THAMS CAD DU DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA’I ZHABS KYI DRUNG NYID NA ‘DUG PAR RIG NAS RTAG PAR BSTAN {%BSTEN?} PA’I PHYIR GONG DU SMOS SO,,

¶ 548 Leave a comment on paragraph 548 0  

¶ 549 Leave a comment on paragraph 549 0 The wording here is meant to indicate that the gathering of monks always remains at the feet of the One Gone Thus, at all times—for they have done what they need to do, and are developing their compassion.  That’s why they are mentioned first.

¶ 550 Leave a comment on paragraph 550 0  

¶ 551 Leave a comment on paragraph 551 0  

¶ 552 Leave a comment on paragraph 552 0 BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ NI SEMS CAN DPAG TU MED PA’I DON BSGRUB PA YONGS SU RDZOGS PA BYA BA MA BYAS LA SNYING BRTZE BA CHE BAS ‘GRO BA’I DON BSGRUB PA’I PHYIR ‘JIG RTEN GYI KHAMS RNAMS SU RGYU BAS DUS THAMS CAD DU BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI ZHABS KYI DRUNG NA MI ‘DUG PAS ‘OG TU SMOS SO,,

¶ 553 Leave a comment on paragraph 553 0  

¶ 554 Leave a comment on paragraph 554 0 Bodhisattvas, on the other hand, have yet to do what they set out to do: to achieve, in completeness, the purposes of infinite living beings—and their compassion is even greater.  As such, they are constantly circling the realms of this world to fufill the different needs of beings; and so do not at all times remain in direct attendance upon the Conqueror.  This is why they are mentioned after the gathering of monks.

¶ 555 Leave a comment on paragraph 555 0  

¶ 556 Leave a comment on paragraph 556 0  

¶ 557 Leave a comment on paragraph 557 0 DE BAS NA NYAN THOS KYI MDO SDE LAS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ MI SMOS TE, DE NI DE DAG GI CHED DU MA YIN PA, MI RTAG PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 558 Leave a comment on paragraph 558 0  

¶ 559 Leave a comment on paragraph 559 0 This is also why Lord Buddha sometimes spoke only sutras meant for the listeners, and not for the bodhisattvas; they were not present on those occasions for him to direct a teaching towards them—they would come and go.

¶ 560 Leave a comment on paragraph 560 0  

¶ 561 Leave a comment on paragraph 561 0  

¶ 562 Leave a comment on paragraph 562 0 A monk’s simplicity

¶ 563 Leave a comment on paragraph 563 0  

¶ 564 Leave a comment on paragraph 564 0 [K6]

¶ 565 Leave a comment on paragraph 565 0 Atha khalu Bhagavānpūrvāhṇakālasamaye nivāsya pātracīvaramādāya Śrāvastīṃ mahānagarīṃ piṇḍāya prāvikṣat.

¶ 566 Leave a comment on paragraph 566 0  

¶ 567 Leave a comment on paragraph 567 0 尔时，世尊于日初分，整理裳服，执持衣皱，入室罗筏大城乞食。

¶ 568 Leave a comment on paragraph 568 0  

¶ 569 Leave a comment on paragraph 569 0 DE NAS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS SNGA DRO’I DUS KYI TSE SHAM THABS DANG CHOS GOS SKU LA GSOL TE LHUNG BZED [f. 215b] BSNAMS NAS MNYAN YOD KYI GRONG KHYER CHEN POR BSOD SNYOMS KYI PHYIR ZHUGS SO,,

¶ 570 Leave a comment on paragraph 570 0  

¶ 571 Leave a comment on paragraph 571 0 In the morning then the Conqueror donned his monk’s robes and outer shawl, took up his sage’s bowl, and entered the great city of Shravasti for requesting his meal.

¶ 572 Leave a comment on paragraph 572 0  

¶ 573 Leave a comment on paragraph 573 0  

¶ 574 Leave a comment on paragraph 574 0 DE NAS ZHES BYA BA NI DE’I ‘OG TU’O,,

¶ 575 Leave a comment on paragraph 575 0  

¶ 576 Leave a comment on paragraph 576 0 The word “then” here means subsequent to what came before.

¶ 577 Leave a comment on paragraph 577 0  

¶ 578 Leave a comment on paragraph 578 0  

¶ 579 Leave a comment on paragraph 579 0 TSE ZHES BYA BA NI NGES PA STE, ‘DIS NI ZAS KYI DUS NGES PA’O, ,DUS NGES PA NI DUS ‘DI NGES PAR BZA’ BAR BYA’O ZHES DUS NGES PA’O,,

¶ 580 Leave a comment on paragraph 580 0  

¶ 581 Leave a comment on paragraph 581 0 “In the morning” means “in the morning time,” to indicate that this is the appointed time for a monk to partake of their food.  When we say “appointed” what we mean is that this is the particular time that has been fixed as the time for monks to eat.

¶ 582 Leave a comment on paragraph 582 0  

¶ 583 Leave a comment on paragraph 583 0  

¶ 584 Leave a comment on paragraph 584 0 DE YANG GANG YIN PA MI SHES NAS DE’I PHYIR SNGA DRO ZHES SMOS PAS ‘CHAD PAR BYA BA YIN TE, DE NI SNGA DRO YANG YIN LA DUS KYI TSE YANG YIN NO ZHES BYA BAR BSDU’O,,

¶ 585 Leave a comment on paragraph 585 0  

¶ 586 Leave a comment on paragraph 586 0 If the sutra were to simply state “at this time” without mentioning the morning, we wouldn’t know specifically what time the Buddha set out for his food; whereas saying “in the morning” covers both the time of day and the time for eating.

¶ 587 Leave a comment on paragraph 587 0  

¶ 588 Leave a comment on paragraph 588 0  

¶ 589 Leave a comment on paragraph 589 0 SNGA DRO’I MTSAN NYID NI BSNYEN GNAS GNAS PA DANG, RAB TU BYUNG BA RNAMS KYI ZAS KYI DUS PHYIR ‘THOB PAR ‘GYUR BAS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS GCIG TU ‘CHAD PAR RTOGS PAR BYA BA’I PHYIR DUS KYI TSE ZHES BYA BA SMOS SO,,

¶ 590 Leave a comment on paragraph 590 0  

¶ 591 Leave a comment on paragraph 591 0 This specific period—the morning time—is the proper time for both those who are keeping a one-day vow, and for those who are ordained, to collect their food.  The wording with the time here is meant to help us understand that the Buddha was going out by himself.

¶ 592 Leave a comment on paragraph 592 0  

¶ 593 Leave a comment on paragraph 593 0  

¶ 594 Leave a comment on paragraph 594 0 GZHAN DU NA SNGA DRO ZHES BYA BA SMOS PA NI DE GCIG TU CHAD PAR MI RTOGS TE, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS DE GYI NA MDZAD KYANG SRID PAS DE’I PHYIR TSIG GSUM CHAR SMOS SO,,

¶ 595 Leave a comment on paragraph 595 0  

¶ 596 Leave a comment on paragraph 596 0 If only the morning and time were mentioned, we wouldn’t understand that the Buddha was going out by himself; and it’s possible that someone might have the idea that Lord Buddha wouldn’t stir himself to follow the morning tradition of seeking his food—thus we have all three elements mentioned here.

¶ 597 Leave a comment on paragraph 597 0  

¶ 598 Leave a comment on paragraph 598 0  

¶ 599 Leave a comment on paragraph 599 0 SHAM THABS ZHES BYA BA NI KHYIM DU ‘DUG PA DANG MTHUN PA’I GOS MNABS {%MA MNABS} PA STE, DE YANG NYAN THOS RNAMS BSLAB PA DAG LA GUS PAR BYA BA BSGRUB PA’I PHYIR MDZAD DO, ,GZHAN DU NA NI BDAG MA DUL BAS GZHAN ‘DUL BAR JI LTAR ‘GYUR,

¶ 600 Leave a comment on paragraph 600 0  

¶ 601 Leave a comment on paragraph 601 0 The mention of the “monk’s robes” is to indicate that Lord Buddha would not be wearing any kind of clothing that resembled the dress of a person living the home life; he is careful to follow this rule so that he can inspire his disciples to respect the monk’s code.  After all, how can a teacher lead their disciples to self-control without having gained this self-control themselves?

¶ 602 Leave a comment on paragraph 602 0  

¶ 603 Leave a comment on paragraph 603 0  

¶ 604 Leave a comment on paragraph 604 0 CHOS GOS MNABS ZHES BYA BA LA CHOS GOS MNABS PA NI BGO PA’I MTSAN NYID DU BLTA BAR BYA STE, GZHAN NI SKABS MA YIN NO,,

¶ 605 Leave a comment on paragraph 605 0  

¶ 606 Leave a comment on paragraph 606 0 The word used here in the sutra for what he did with the robes and shawl—“donning” them[19]—is simply an archaism that you should understand refers to “putting on” the robes; any other reading would be out of context.

¶ 607 Leave a comment on paragraph 607 0  

¶ 608 Leave a comment on paragraph 608 0  

¶ 609 Leave a comment on paragraph 609 0 GRONG KHYER CHEN PO ZHES BYA BA NI YUL GYI BYE BRAG STE, MNYAN YOD RNAM PAR BCAD PA’I DON TO,,

¶ 610 Leave a comment on paragraph 610 0  

¶ 611 Leave a comment on paragraph 611 0 When the sutra mentions “great city” here it is meant to indicate the greater metropolitan area of the city, with its outer environs—we are to understand that Lord Buddha did not enter the inner city proper.

¶ 612 Leave a comment on paragraph 612 0  

¶ 613 Leave a comment on paragraph 613 0  

¶ 614 Leave a comment on paragraph 614 0 CI’I PHYIR BCOM LDAN ‘DAS BSOD SNYOMS KYI PHYIR ZHUGS SHE NA, NYAN THOS RNAMS ‘DOD PA CHUNG BA LA GZUD PA DANG,

¶ 615 Leave a comment on paragraph 615 0  

¶ 616 Leave a comment on paragraph 616 0 You may ask why even Lord Buddha would be going out to “request his daily meal.”  You should understand that there are quite nearly an infinite number of reasons for him to do so.  First of all, he seeks to inspire his disciples to a simple way of life.

¶ 617 Leave a comment on paragraph 617 0  

¶ 618 Leave a comment on paragraph 618 0  

¶ 619 Leave a comment on paragraph 619 0 [f. 207a] KHYIM GYI BUD MED DANG, DBUL PO DANG, NAD PA DANG, RGAN PO LA SOGS PA LA PHAN GDAGS PA DANG, LONG BA LA SOGS PA MIG LA SOGS PA THOB PAR BYA BA DANG, NGO MTSAR RNAM PA SNA TSOGS NAR MA BSTAN PAS GZHAN DAG BCOM LDAN ‘DAS LA DAD PA BSKYED PA’I PHYIR TE, DE LTAR DGOS PA DPAG TU MED PAR KHONG DU CHUD PAR BYA’O,,

¶ 620 Leave a comment on paragraph 620 0  

¶ 621 Leave a comment on paragraph 621 0 Secondly, he wishes to be of benefit to those who must spend their days at home: housewives, the sick, the elderly, and so on.  He knows that if he meets the blind or other such people, they will regain their sight.  And since he is constantly displaying such wondrous deeds, then even more people will come to feel faith in the Conqueror.

¶ 622 Leave a comment on paragraph 622 0  

¶ 623 Leave a comment on paragraph 623 0  

¶ 624 Leave a comment on paragraph 624 0 Honoring the way of the monk

¶ 625 Leave a comment on paragraph 625 0  

¶ 626 Leave a comment on paragraph 626 0 [K7]

¶ 627 Leave a comment on paragraph 627 0 Atha khalu BhagavānŚrāvastīṃ mahānagarīṃ piṇḍāya caritvā kṛtabhaktakṛtyaḥ paścādbhaktapiṇḍapātapratikrāntaḥ pātracīvaraṃ pratiśāmya pādau prakṣālya…

¶ 628 Leave a comment on paragraph 628 0  

¶ 629 Leave a comment on paragraph 629 0 时，薄伽梵于其城中行乞食已，出还本处。饭食讫，收衣皱，洗足已，

¶ 630 Leave a comment on paragraph 630 0  

¶ 631 Leave a comment on paragraph 631 0 DE NAS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS MNYAN YOD KYI GRONG KHYER CHEN POR BSOD SNYOMS KYI PHYIR GSHEGS NAS BSOD SNYOMS KYI ZHAL ZAS MJUG TU GSOL TE ZAS KYI BYA BA MDZAD NAS ZAS PHYI MA’I BSOD SNYOMS SPANGS PAS, LHUNG BZED DANG CHOS GOS BZHAG NAS ZHABS BSIL TE…

¶ 632 Leave a comment on paragraph 632 0  

¶ 633 Leave a comment on paragraph 633 0 After collecting the food, he returned from the city and partook of it.  When he had finished eating he put away his bowl and shawl, for he was a person who had given up eating in the latter part of the day.  Lord Buddha then washed his feet…

¶ 634 Leave a comment on paragraph 634 0  

¶ 635 Leave a comment on paragraph 635 0  

¶ 636 Leave a comment on paragraph 636 0 ZAS KYI BYA BA BYAS ZHES BYA BA NI GANG GI ZAS LA SOGS PA ZAS KYI BYA BA BYAS SHING BSGRUBS PA DE LA DE SKAD CES BRJOD DO,,

¶ 637 Leave a comment on paragraph 637 0  

¶ 638 Leave a comment on paragraph 638 0 The sutra is careful here to use the past tense—“he partook of it”—to indicate that Lord Buddha began and then completed the acts of eating and so on.

¶ 639 Leave a comment on paragraph 639 0  

¶ 640 Leave a comment on paragraph 640 0  

¶ 641 Leave a comment on paragraph 641 0 TSANGS PA LA SOGS PA DGE BA’I RTZA BA CHUNG NGU LAS SKYES PA DAG KYANG ZAS KHAM GYIS ZA BA’I ‘DOD CHAGS DANG BRAL BAS ZAS KYI BYA BA MI BYED NA, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS DGE BA’I RTZA BA BSAM GYIS MI KHYAB PA LAS ‘KHRUNGS PA JI GA MDZAD PAR ‘GYUR RAM,

¶ 642 Leave a comment on paragraph 642 0  

¶ 643 Leave a comment on paragraph 643 0 Now even beings like the Pure One[20]—who are born as they are from no more than a tiny store of good karma—have freed themselves from any desire to take physical sustenance, and no longer engage in the act of eating.  How then would we expect the Conqueror, a person who is born from a quantity of virtue which is inconceivable, to act in this regard?

¶ 644 Leave a comment on paragraph 644 0  

¶ 645 Leave a comment on paragraph 645 0  

¶ 646 Leave a comment on paragraph 646 0 ‘DI LTAR YANG ‘PHAGS PA CHOS YANG DAG PAR SDUD PA LAS KYANG DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA NI BSGRIBS PA {%BKRES} DANG SKYEMS PA MI MNGA’ BSHANG GCI MI MDZAD, SKU NYAM CHUNG BA MA YIN NO ZHES BSHAD DO,,

¶ 647 Leave a comment on paragraph 647 0  

¶ 648 Leave a comment on paragraph 648 0 And the exalted sutra named A Perfect Summary of the Dharma also mentions how “The Ones Thus Gone never hunger; and they never thirst.  They have no feces, or urine—and  their body never tires.”[21]

¶ 649 Leave a comment on paragraph 649 0  

¶ 650 Leave a comment on paragraph 650 0  

¶ 651 Leave a comment on paragraph 651 0 DE BDEN MOD KYI ‘ON KYANG GAL TE BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI SKU DE DON DAM PA MA YIN NA NI, DE’I TSE KLAN KA THAMS CAD KYI SKABS SU YANG ‘GYUR BA ZHIG NA, GANG GI TSE ‘DI NI BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI SPRUL PA’I SKU STE, SPYOD PA RNAM PA ‘DI LTA BU STON CING GDUL BA’I SEMS CAN GYI BSAM PA DANG ‘TSAM PAR ‘JUG PA DE’I TSE KLAN KA’I SKABS SU GA LA ‘GYUR,

¶ 652 Leave a comment on paragraph 652 0  

¶ 653 Leave a comment on paragraph 653 0 All this is admittedly true; and if it were not the case that the holy body of the Conqueror were not an ultimate thing, these kinds of questions could arise.  But considering that the Conqueror is purposely emanating the body mentioned here, we can say that exhibiting this kind of behavior is something he does only to try to accommodate the state of mind of his disciples—and in that case such questions are irrelevant.

¶ 654 Leave a comment on paragraph 654 0  

¶ 655 Leave a comment on paragraph 655 0  

¶ 656 Leave a comment on paragraph 656 0 MIR GYUR PAS BRTZON ‘GRUS BRTZAMS NA YANG BLA NA MED PA’I GO ‘PHANG ‘DI LTA BU THOB BO ZHES GZENGS BSTOD PA’I PHYIR GDUL BA PA RNAMS LA MI’I LUS STON PAS DE LTAR ZHAL ZAS KYI TSUL STON TO,,

¶ 657 Leave a comment on paragraph 657 0  

¶ 658 Leave a comment on paragraph 658 0 Lord Buddha wants to uplift his disciples; he wants them to realize that—even for a person who has been born as a normal human—it is still possible to reach this highest state of existence, if they make good effort.  Thus he presents himself in a human body, and presents as well himself as someone who eats physical food.

¶ 659 Leave a comment on paragraph 659 0  

¶ 660 Leave a comment on paragraph 660 0  

¶ 661 Leave a comment on paragraph 661 0 SBYIN PA PO DANG, SBYIN BDAG GANG LA BSOD SNYOMS YONGS SU SBYONG BA BSTAN PAS DE DAG DGA’ BA BSKYED PA DANG,

¶ 662 Leave a comment on paragraph 662 0  

¶ 663 Leave a comment on paragraph 663 0 And he observes the tradition of begging for his food in order to inspire joy in those who would offer this to him; and in all his other sponsors.

¶ 664 Leave a comment on paragraph 664 0  

¶ 665 Leave a comment on paragraph 665 0  

¶ 666 Leave a comment on paragraph 666 0 GANG DAG SKAL PA {%BA} YOD KYANG LAS KYI SGRIB PA ‘GA’ ZHIG GIS YI DAGS LA SOGS PA’I NANG DU SKYES PA DAG BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI PHYAG GI SEN MO BDUD RTZI CAN GYIS REG NA LHA’I RO BRO BA MCHOG TU ‘GYUR ZHING ZAD MI SHES PA GNOD SBYIN GZI STOBS CAN LA SOGS PAS KHYER BA ZOS NA, DE DAG BDE BA MCHOG GIS SEMS TSIM PAR GYUR PA DANG, TING NGE ‘DZIN [f. 207b] MCHOG KYANG ‘THOB PAS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI ZAS KYI BYA BA NI DPAG TU MED DO,,

¶ 667 Leave a comment on paragraph 667 0  

¶ 668 Leave a comment on paragraph 668 0 There are also those who do possess some amount of good seeds, but who—because of certain karmic obstacles—have taken birth among the craving spirits.  Sometimes they are able to acquire leftovers from food which has touched the blessed fingernails of the Conqueror, dripping as they are with deathless nectar.  In such a case, these remnants take on a supremely delicious flavor of the gods, and no matter how much they are consumed are never exhausted.  If a harmful spirit, or another being of this kind—one with power—thus partakes, then they are overwhelmed with feelings of happiness; and suddenly attain as well a high state of meditative focus.  And so an infinite number of amazing things are going on when the Conqueror partakes of food.

¶ 669 Leave a comment on paragraph 669 0  

¶ 670 Leave a comment on paragraph 670 0  

¶ 671 Leave a comment on paragraph 671 0 RNAM PA CI ‘DRA BAS ZAS KYI BYA BA BYAS SHE NA, DE’I PHYIR MJUG TU ZHES BYA BA LA SOGS PA SMOS TE, THAMS CAD BLANGS NAS MJUG TU ZHAL ZAS GANG GSOL BA DE NI BSOD SNYOMS KYI ZHAL ZAS MJUG TU GSOL BA STE, DE NI NYAN THOS RNAMS SBYANGS PA’I YON TAN LA GZUD PA’I PHYIR YANG DAG PAR LEN PA SNGON DU BTANG BA YIN NO,,

¶ 672 Leave a comment on paragraph 672 0  

¶ 673 Leave a comment on paragraph 673 0 And how does the Buddha finish his eating here?  This is why we have the part that begins with “when he had finished eating.”  The point is that first he goes out to request his food, and then he returns to eat it: he engages in the monkly tradition of begging, and only then eats what he has been given.  All this is to indicate that first he goes and collects his food in the proper way—he wants to inspire his disciples to follow the traditional practices of a monk.[22]

¶ 674 Leave a comment on paragraph 674 0  

¶ 675 Leave a comment on paragraph 675 0  

¶ 676 Leave a comment on paragraph 676 0 GSOL ZHES BYA BA NI GSOL ZIN ZHES BYA BA’I THA TSIG GO,,

¶ 677 Leave a comment on paragraph 677 0  

¶ 678 Leave a comment on paragraph 678 0 Again, the sutra speaks of “when he had finished eating” in order to emphasize that Lord Buddha has completed his meal.

¶ 679 Leave a comment on paragraph 679 0  

¶ 680 Leave a comment on paragraph 680 0  

¶ 681 Leave a comment on paragraph 681 0 YANG NA MJUG TU ZHES BYA BA NI LAN GNYIS PA LA BLANGS PA GANG YIN PA DE LA ZAS PHYI MA ZHES BYA STE, ZAS PHYI MA DE NI ZAS MJUG KYANG YIN LA BSOD SNYOMS KYANG YIN NO ZHES BYA BAR TSIG RNAM PAR SBYAR RO, ,YANG NA PHYI DRO’I ZAS DE ZA BA GANG YIN PA’I BSOD SNYOMS DE LA DE SKAD CES BYA’O,,

¶ 682 Leave a comment on paragraph 682 0  

¶ 683 Leave a comment on paragraph 683 0 Another point of “when he had finished” is as a reference to a second trip to beg for food, which we refer to as a “latter meal.”  When we say “latter meal,” the point is both that it is eaten subsequently, and that it is also collected by going out to beg for food: you have to fill in the interstitial wording.  You can also just read “subsequent meal” as going out for another trip to beg, for what you are going to be eating.

¶ 684 Leave a comment on paragraph 684 0  

¶ 685 Leave a comment on paragraph 685 0  

¶ 686 Leave a comment on paragraph 686 0 DE LTA BAS NA SBYANGS PA’I YON TAN CAN YIN PA DANG, DUS MA YIN PA’I ZAS SPANGS PA‘I PHYIR GSOL ZHES BYA BA NI DE GNYIS DANG BRAL LO ZHES BYA BA’I THA TSIG GO,,

¶ 687 Leave a comment on paragraph 687 0  

¶ 688 Leave a comment on paragraph 688 0 Here though Lord Buddha is of course someone who follows the traditional practices mentioned; and has given up taking any latter meal.  The wording here is meant to make it clear that he will be taking no second meal.

¶ 689 Leave a comment on paragraph 689 0  

¶ 690 Leave a comment on paragraph 690 0  

¶ 691 Leave a comment on paragraph 691 0 BZHAG NAS ZHES BYA BA NI BZHAG STE’O,,

¶ 692 Leave a comment on paragraph 692 0  

¶ 693 Leave a comment on paragraph 693 0 The sutra next says “put them away, and then…”  The point is that he is going to put away his bowl and shawl, and then engage in another activity.

¶ 694 Leave a comment on paragraph 694 0  

¶ 695 Leave a comment on paragraph 695 0  

¶ 696 Leave a comment on paragraph 696 0 DE YANG BRGYA BYIN LA SOGS PA BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI DRUNG NA BKA’ NOD PA LA BRTZON PA DAG KYANG RTAG TU GNAS MOD KYI RAB TU BYUNG BA NI BDAG NYID BYED PA’O ZHES BSTAN PA’I PHYIR BCOM LDAN ‘DAS NYID KYIS LHUNG BZED DANG CHOS GOS BZHAG PA MDZAD DO,,

¶ 697 Leave a comment on paragraph 697 0  

¶ 698 Leave a comment on paragraph 698 0 Now there are powerful beings such as Shakra, “Destroyer of a Hundred Cities,” who remain in the presence of the Conqueror and exert themselves in serving him, having pledged to carry out his every command.  And yet the Buddha wishes to set an example of how an ordained person should be doing certain things for themselves; and so we read here that “the Conqueror himself undertakes to set down his bowl and robes.”

¶ 699 Leave a comment on paragraph 699 0  

¶ 700 Leave a comment on paragraph 700 0  

¶ 701 Leave a comment on paragraph 701 0 SKAL BA CHUNG NGU G-YOG MI ‘BYOR PA RNAMS KYI YID MI BDE BA SPONG BA’I PHYIR YANG NGO,,

¶ 702 Leave a comment on paragraph 702 0  

¶ 703 Leave a comment on paragraph 703 0 This part is also intended to avoid making someone uncomfortable who—because they have relatively few karmic seeds—may not possess the means to have someone attending to them.

¶ 704 Leave a comment on paragraph 704 0  

¶ 705 Leave a comment on paragraph 705 0  

¶ 706 Leave a comment on paragraph 706 0 MI GTZANG BAR SNANG BA RTAG TU RING DU SPANGS PA DANG, ZHABS PADMA LA ‘JOG MOD KYI, BYA BA’I RGYUD LA SOGS PA LA MOS PA’I SEMS CAN GYI BSAM PA DANG MTHUN PA ‘AM, RKANG PA RUL CAN GYIS MAL CHA DANG STAN LA MI RJI’O ZHES BSLAB PA DAG LA GUS PAR BYA BA BSTAN PA’I PHYIR ZHABS ‘KHRU BAR BLTA’O,,

¶ 707 Leave a comment on paragraph 707 0  

¶ 708 Leave a comment on paragraph 708 0 Next Lord Buddha washes his feet; first because he always avoids, fastidiously, any kind of uncleanliness in his personal appearance.  Secondly he wishes to fit in, in a culture where a great many people are attracted to ritual bathing and other such practices.  And finally he wishes to show respect for rules related to objects traditionally utilized by a monk—a mattress belonging to the community, and his meditation seat—by making sure that nothing unclean that may have stuck to his feet might be transferred to these two.

¶ 709 Leave a comment on paragraph 709 0  

¶ 710 Leave a comment on paragraph 710 0  

¶ 711 Leave a comment on paragraph 711 0  

¶ 712 Leave a comment on paragraph 712 0 The Buddha calls all to his teaching

¶ 713 Leave a comment on paragraph 713 0  

¶ 714 Leave a comment on paragraph 714 0 [K8]

¶ 715 Leave a comment on paragraph 715 0 …nyaṣīdatprajñapta evāsane paryaṅkamābhujya ṛjuṃ kāyaṃ praṇidhāya pratimukhīṃ smṛtimupasthāpya.

¶ 716 Leave a comment on paragraph 716 0  

¶ 717 Leave a comment on paragraph 717 0 于食后时，敷如常座，结跏趺坐，端身正愿，住对面念。

¶ 718 Leave a comment on paragraph 718 0  

¶ 719 Leave a comment on paragraph 719 0 GDAN BSHAMS PA LA SKYIL MO KRUNG BCAS NAS SKU DRANG POR BSRANG STE DRAN PA MNGON DU BZHAG NAS BZHUGS SO,,

¶ 720 Leave a comment on paragraph 720 0  

¶ 721 Leave a comment on paragraph 721 0 …and seated himself on a cushion that had been set forth for him.  He crossed his legs in the full lotus position, straightened his back, and placed his thoughts into a state of contemplation.

¶ 722 Leave a comment on paragraph 722 0  

¶ 723 Leave a comment on paragraph 723 0  

¶ 724 Leave a comment on paragraph 724 0 GDAN BSHAMS PA LA ZHES BYA BA NI LHA LA SOGS PAS BSHAMS PA’O,,

¶ 725 Leave a comment on paragraph 725 0  

¶ 726 Leave a comment on paragraph 726 0 When the sutra speaks of “a cushion set forth for him,” the point is that powerful wordly gods and other such beings have set the cushion forth.

¶ 727 Leave a comment on paragraph 727 0  

¶ 728 Leave a comment on paragraph 728 0  

¶ 729 Leave a comment on paragraph 729 0 SKU DRANG POR BSRANG STE ZHES BYA BA NI HA CANG YANG MI DGU, HA CANG YANG MI DGYE BAR MDZAD CES BYA BA’I THA TSIG GO,,

¶ 730 Leave a comment on paragraph 730 0  

¶ 731 Leave a comment on paragraph 731 0 And when it says that the Buddha “straightened his back,” it’s to indicate that he sat in a meditation posture where his back was neither excessively bent to the front, nor excessively opened up towards the rear.

¶ 732 Leave a comment on paragraph 732 0  

¶ 733 Leave a comment on paragraph 733 0  

¶ 734 Leave a comment on paragraph 734 0 CHOS STON PA’I DUS NA BCOM LDAN ‘DAS SPONG BA’I SPYOD LAM GYIS CI’I PHYIR BZHUGS SHE NA, SPONG BA DAG KHO NAS CHOS ‘DI BSTAN PA DANG, SHES [f. 208a] PA DANG NYAN PAR NUS KYI GZHAN DAG GIS NI MA YIN NO ZHES SPONG BA LA ‘JIG RTEN NAN TAN BSKYED DU GZUD PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 735 Leave a comment on paragraph 735 0  

¶ 736 Leave a comment on paragraph 736 0 “Why is it,” you may ask, “that when the Conqueror gives his teachings, he sits on the floor like a common beggar?”  By doing so, Lord Buddha is making a strong point that—in his tradition of teaching—even a simple beggar is welcome both to teach, and to listen and learn; no one is to be excluded.  He is calling the entire world to his teaching.

¶ 737 Leave a comment on paragraph 737 0  

¶ 738 Leave a comment on paragraph 738 0  

¶ 739 Leave a comment on paragraph 739 0 DRAN PA SNGON DU GZHAG CES BYA BA NI SNGON BYANG CHUB SEMS DPAR GYUR PA’I TSE, BLA NA MED PA’I TSE GO ‘PHANG THOB NAS JI LTAR SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG MI ‘CHAD PAR ‘GYUR BA DE LTAR BDAG GIS BYA’O ZHES SMON LAM BTAB PA’I SMON LAM DE DRAN PA MNGON DU MDZAD CES BYA BA’I THA TSIG GO,,

¶ 740 Leave a comment on paragraph 740 0  

¶ 741 Leave a comment on paragraph 741 0 The sutra then speaks of how Lord Buddha “placed his thoughts into a state of contemplation,” or reflection.  What this means to say is that the Buddha is reflecting on—remembering—an incident in a former life, when he was but a bodhisattva.  He had made a resolution to himself that “When I reach the unsurpassable state of enlightenment, then I will take upon myself responsibility to see that the family line of the Enlightened Ones is never broken.”

¶ 742 Leave a comment on paragraph 742 0  

¶ 743 Leave a comment on paragraph 743 0  

¶ 744 Leave a comment on paragraph 744 0 SANGS RGYAS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS DAG NI RTAG TU MNYAM PAR GZHAG PAS THAMS CAD DU YANG DRAN PA LA GNAS MOD KYI, DUS MA YIN PAR DRAN PA DES NI CIR YANG MI ‘GYUR GYI, DUS SU SMON LAM DRAN PA NI ‘BRAS BU DANG BCAS PAR ‘GYUR RO,,

¶ 745 Leave a comment on paragraph 745 0  

¶ 746 Leave a comment on paragraph 746 0 Now we would have to admit that it is certainly the case that a Conquering Buddha remains, in all times and places, within a deep meditation where he or she recollects all the things there are!  The point here though is that the Buddha is not simply allowing his mind to wander to any old memory at all; rather, he is very selectively bringing up a memory which will have significant repercussions in the present context.

¶ 747 Leave a comment on paragraph 747 0  

¶ 748 Leave a comment on paragraph 748 0  

¶ 749 Leave a comment on paragraph 749 0 DUS SU DRAN PAS KYANG BCOM LDAN ‘DAS RTAG TU MNYAM PAR GZHAG PA NYID DU STON PAS ‘GAL BA MED DO,,

¶ 750 Leave a comment on paragraph 750 0  

¶ 751 Leave a comment on paragraph 751 0 Saying that the Conqueror can engage in a selective recollection serves in fact as a reminder to the reader that he is forever in a state of deep meditation—and so there’s no contradiction here.

¶ 752 Leave a comment on paragraph 752 0  

¶ 753 Leave a comment on paragraph 753 0  

¶ 754 Leave a comment on paragraph 754 0 Gathered and seated

¶ 755 Leave a comment on paragraph 755 0  

¶ 756 Leave a comment on paragraph 756 0 [K9]

¶ 757 Leave a comment on paragraph 757 0 Atha khalu saṃbahulā bhikṣavo yena Bhagavāṃstenopasaṃkrāman upasaṃkramya Bhagavataḥ pādau śirobhirabhivandya Bhagavantaṃ triṣpradakṣiṇīkṛtya ekānte nyaṣīdan.  (2) Tena khalu punaḥ samayenāyuṣmān Subhutistasyāmeva parṣadi saṃnipatito’bhūtsaṃniṣaṇṇaḥ.  

¶ 758 Leave a comment on paragraph 758 0  

¶ 759 Leave a comment on paragraph 759 0 时，诸苾刍来诣佛所，到已顶礼世尊双足，右绕三匝，退坐一面。具寿善现亦于如是众会中坐。

¶ 760 Leave a comment on paragraph 760 0  

¶ 761 Leave a comment on paragraph 761 0 DE NAS DGE SLONG MANG PO BCOM LDAN ‘DAS GA LA BA DER DONG STE LHAGS NAS BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYI ZHABS LA MGO BOS PHYAG ‘TSAL TE BCOM LDAN ‘DAS LA LAN GSUM BSKOR BA BYAS NAS PHYOGS GCIG TU ‘KHOD DO, , YANG DE’I TSE TSE DANG LDAN PA RAB ‘BYOR ‘KHOR DE NYID DU ‘DUS PAR GYUR TE ‘DUG GO ,

¶ 762 Leave a comment on paragraph 762 0  

¶ 763 Leave a comment on paragraph 763 0 Then a great number of monks advanced towards the Conqueror and, when they had reached his side, bowed and touched their heads to his feet.  They circled him in respect three times, and seated themselves to one side.  At this point the junior monk Subhuti was with this same group of disciples, and took his seat with them.

¶ 764 Leave a comment on paragraph 764 0  

¶ 765 Leave a comment on paragraph 765 0  

¶ 766 Leave a comment on paragraph 766 0 DE NAS DGE SLONG MANG PO ZHES BYA BA CI’I PHYIR SMOS SHE NA, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS MNYAN YOD NA DGE SLONG GI DGE ‘DUN TSAD JI SNYED DANG BZHUGS PA DE DAG THAMS CAD CHOS STON PA’I DUS NA DER MA ‘DUS KYI, MANG PO GSUM YAN CHAD DER ‘DUS SO ZHES BSTAN PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 767 Leave a comment on paragraph 767 0  

¶ 768 Leave a comment on paragraph 768 0 “Why,” one may ask, “does the sutra next speak of ‘a great number of monks’?”  The point is that there were in fact a very great number of monks residing around Shravasti while the Buddha was there; but not all of them gathered together on every occasion that the Lord Buddha granted his teachings.  And remember that the Sanskrit declension of “many” here would indicate a minimum of three monks, and certainly more.

¶ 769 Leave a comment on paragraph 769 0  

¶ 770 Leave a comment on paragraph 770 0  

¶ 771 Leave a comment on paragraph 771 0 DE YANG YANG DAG PAR SDUD PAR BYED PAS GZHAN DAG YID CHES PA BSKYED PA’I PHYIR SMRAS SO, ,’DUS ZHES BYA BA NI NYE BA TZAM DU ZAD DO, ,’DUG CES BYA BA NI STAN LA ‘DUG PA’O,,

¶ 772 Leave a comment on paragraph 772 0  

¶ 773 Leave a comment on paragraph 773 0 We can also say that the speaker—the one who had compiled the sutra—here again wishes to inspire faith in the teaching, by referring to the many present.  And when we say that the monks “gathered,” it implies only that they were in the immediate vicinity; whereas “seated themselves” is more graphic, as they are actually sitting down on their cushions.

¶ 774 Leave a comment on paragraph 774 0  

¶ 775 Leave a comment on paragraph 775 0  

¶ 776 Leave a comment on paragraph 776 0 ‘JIG RTEN NI PHAL CHER SPYIR GZHAG PA SNGON DU ‘GRO BA CAN GYI BYE BRAG ‘JOG PAS ‘JIG RTEN GYI GRAGS PA DANG MTHUN PAR GNYIS KA SMOS SO,,

¶ 777 Leave a comment on paragraph 777 0  

¶ 778 Leave a comment on paragraph 778 0 In the everyday world as well, we begin from a more general picture and then hone it down to the specifics; and so in keeping with the way of the world we here have mention of both “gathering” and then “sitting.”

¶ 779 Leave a comment on paragraph 779 0  

¶ 780 Leave a comment on paragraph 780 0  

¶ 781 Leave a comment on paragraph 781 0 GZHAN DU NA NI ‘DUG GO ZHES BYA BA DE TZAM KHO NAS GNYIS KA SMOS PAR ‘GYUR RO,,

¶ 782 Leave a comment on paragraph 782 0  

¶ 783 Leave a comment on paragraph 783 0 Otherwise the compiler would have simply said “they were present,” and only imply the gathering and the seating.

¶ 784 Leave a comment on paragraph 784 0  

¶ 785 Leave a comment on paragraph 785 0  

¶ 786 Leave a comment on paragraph 786 0 GLENG GZHI’I TSIG GI DON LA SOGS PA BSHAD ZIN TO,,

¶ 787 Leave a comment on paragraph 787 0  

¶ 788 Leave a comment on paragraph 788 0 This completes my presentation of the wording of the way in which the scene for the sutra is set.

¶ 789 Leave a comment on paragraph 789 0  

¶ 790 Leave a comment on paragraph 790 0  

¶ 791 Leave a comment on paragraph 791 0  

¶ 792 Leave a comment on paragraph 792 0 How the conversation began

¶ 793 Leave a comment on paragraph 793 0  

¶ 794 Leave a comment on paragraph 794 0 DA NI GLENG BSLANG BA DANG SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR BYA BA BRJOD PAR BYA’O,,

¶ 795 Leave a comment on paragraph 795 0  

¶ 796 Leave a comment on paragraph 796 0 I will now proceed to the second and third parts mentioned above; that is, the initiation of the conversation, and then the way in which the family line of the Buddhas was prevented from being interrupted.

¶ 797 Leave a comment on paragraph 797 0  

¶ 798 Leave a comment on paragraph 798 0  

¶ 799 Leave a comment on paragraph 799 0  

¶ 800 Leave a comment on paragraph 800 0 [K10]

¶ 801 Leave a comment on paragraph 801 0 Atha khalvāyuṣmān Subhūtirutthāyāsanādekāṃsamuttarāsaṅgaṃ kṛtvā dakṣiṇaṃ jānumaṇḍalaṃ pṛthivyāṃ pratiṣṭhāpya yena Bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇamya Bhagavantametadavocat.

¶ 802 Leave a comment on paragraph 802 0  

¶ 803 Leave a comment on paragraph 803 0 尔时，众中具寿善现从座而起，偏袒一肩，右膝著地，合掌恭敬而白佛言：

¶ 804 Leave a comment on paragraph 804 0  

¶ 805 Leave a comment on paragraph 805 0 DE NAS TSE DANG LDAN PA RAB ‘BYOR STAN LAS LANGS TE BLA GOS PHRAG PA GCIG TU GZAR NAS PUS MO G-YAS PA’I LHA NGA SA LA BTZUGS TE BCOM LDAN ‘DAS GA LA BA DE LOGS SU THAL MO SBYAR BA BTUD DE BCOM LDAN ‘DAS LA ‘DI SKAD CES GSOL TO,,

¶ 806 Leave a comment on paragraph 806 0  

¶ 807 Leave a comment on paragraph 807 0 Then the junior monk Subhuti rose from his cushion, dropped the corner of his upper robe from one shoulder in a gesture of respect, and knelt with his right knee to the ground.  He faced the Conqueror, joined his palms at his heart, and bowed.  Then he beseeched the Conqueror, in the following words:

¶ 808 Leave a comment on paragraph 808 0  

¶ 809 Leave a comment on paragraph 809 0  

¶ 810 Leave a comment on paragraph 810 0 [K11]

¶ 811 Leave a comment on paragraph 811 0 Āścaryaṃ Bhagavan paramāścaryaṃ Sugata yāvadeva Tathāgatenārhatā Samyaksaṃbuddhena bodhisattvā mahāsattvā anuparigṛhītāḥ parameṇānugraheṇa.

¶ 812 Leave a comment on paragraph 812 0  

¶ 813 Leave a comment on paragraph 813 0 希有！世尊！乃至如来、应、正等觉，

¶ 814 Leave a comment on paragraph 814 0 能以最胜摄受，摄受诸菩萨摩诃萨；

¶ 815 Leave a comment on paragraph 815 0  

¶ 816 Leave a comment on paragraph 816 0 BCOM LDAN ‘DAS, DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA DGRA BCOM PA YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I SANGS RGYAS KYIS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO RNAMS LA PHAN GDAGS PA’I DAM PA JI SNYED PAS PHAN BTAGS PA DANG,

¶ 817 Leave a comment on paragraph 817 0  

¶ 818 Leave a comment on paragraph 818 0 O Conqueror, the Buddha, the One Gone Thus, the Destroyer of the Foe, the Totally Enlightened One has given much beneficial instruction to the bodhisattvas who are great beings.  All the instruction he has ever given has been of benefit.

¶ 819 Leave a comment on paragraph 819 0  

¶ 820 Leave a comment on paragraph 820 0  

¶ 821 Leave a comment on paragraph 821 0 Āścaryaṃ Bhagavan yāvadeva Tathāgatenārhatā Samyaksaṃbuddhena bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ parīnditāḥ paramayā parīndanayā.

¶ 822 Leave a comment on paragraph 822 0  

¶ 823 Leave a comment on paragraph 823 0 乃至如来、应、正等觉，能以最胜付嘱，付嘱诸菩萨摩诃萨。

¶ 824 Leave a comment on paragraph 824 0  

¶ 825 Leave a comment on paragraph 825 0 DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA DGRA BCOM PA YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I [f. 216a] SANGS RGYAS KYIS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO RNAMS YONGS SU GTAD PA’I DAM PA JI SNYED PAS YONGS SU GTAD PA NI, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS, NGO MTSAR LAGS SO, ,BDE BAR GSHEGS PA, NGO MTSAR LAGS SO,,

¶ 826 Leave a comment on paragraph 826 0  

¶ 827 Leave a comment on paragraph 827 0 And the One Gone Thus, the Destroyer of the Foe, the Totally Enlightened One, has as well instructed these bodhisattvas who are great beings by granting them clear direction.  All the clear direction he has ever granted, o Conqueror, has been a wondrous thing.  It is, o Conqueror, a wondrous thing.

¶ 828 Leave a comment on paragraph 828 0  

¶ 829 Leave a comment on paragraph 829 0  

¶ 830 Leave a comment on paragraph 830 0 SHIN TU NGO MTSAR CHE BAR BSTAN PA’I PHYIR LAN GNYIS SU SMOS SO,,

¶ 831 Leave a comment on paragraph 831 0  

¶ 832 Leave a comment on paragraph 832 0 Subhuti repeats the phrase “a wondrous thing!” twice in order to indicate that Lord Buddha’s teachings have been an amazingly wondrouse thing.

¶ 833 Leave a comment on paragraph 833 0  

¶ 834 Leave a comment on paragraph 834 0  

¶ 835 Leave a comment on paragraph 835 0 BDE BAR GSHEGS PA ZHES BYA BA NI BOD PA’O,,

¶ 836 Leave a comment on paragraph 836 0  

¶ 837 Leave a comment on paragraph 837 0 And when he refers to the one who has Gone To Bliss in these lines, it is in the vocative sense: “O you who have Gone To Bliss!”

¶ 838 Leave a comment on paragraph 838 0  

¶ 839 Leave a comment on paragraph 839 0  

¶ 840 Leave a comment on paragraph 840 0 BDAG MED PA GNYIS KYI LAM NAS YANG DAG PAR GSHEGS SO, ,LEGS PAR GSHEGS PAS BDE BAR GSHEGS PA STE, LEGS PAR BSTOD CES BYA BA BZHIN NO,,

¶ 841 Leave a comment on paragraph 841 0  

¶ 842 Leave a comment on paragraph 842 0 And this Conqueror is a person who has traveled, perfectly, the path of the two ways in which nothing is itself.[23]  As such, he has “gone well,” or we can say “gone to bliss”—made his way to happiness.  It’s like a case where we say, “well-praised.”

¶ 843 Leave a comment on paragraph 843 0  

¶ 844 Leave a comment on paragraph 844 0  

¶ 845 Leave a comment on paragraph 845 0 YANG NA NYON MONGS PA DANG SHES BYA’I SGRIB PA BAG CHAGS DANG BCAS PA MA LUS PAR SPANGS TE, GSHEGS PAS BDE BAR GSHEGS PA STE, BUM PA SHIN TU GANG BA [f. 208b] BZHIN NO,,

¶ 846 Leave a comment on paragraph 846 0  

¶ 847 Leave a comment on paragraph 847 0 We can also say that Lord Buddha has “gone” in such a way that he has rid himself, forever, of the obstacles of the negative emotions and the obstacles to knowing all things—along with the deep karmic seeds for these obstacles.  As such then he is “gone to bliss,” in the way that a water pitcher has been filled to the very brim.

¶ 848 Leave a comment on paragraph 848 0  

¶ 849 Leave a comment on paragraph 849 0  

¶ 850 Leave a comment on paragraph 850 0 YANG NA PHYIR MI LDOG PAR GSHEGS PAS BDE BAR GSHEGS PA STE, RIMS NAD SHIN TU BYANG BA BZHIN NO,,

¶ 851 Leave a comment on paragraph 851 0  

¶ 852 Leave a comment on paragraph 852 0 We can also say that the Buddha has “gone to bliss” in the sense that he will never again turn back from the place to which he has gone; it’s like saying that someone is now completely cured of some infectious disease.

¶ 853 Leave a comment on paragraph 853 0  

¶ 854 Leave a comment on paragraph 854 0  

¶ 855 Leave a comment on paragraph 855 0 JI SNYED PAS ZHES BYA BA NI PHAN GDAGS PAR BYA BA’I BYE BRAG STE, PHAN GDAGS PA GANG JI SNYED PA DE SNYED KYIS PHAN GDAGS PA ZHES BYA BA’I THA TSIG GO,,

¶ 856 Leave a comment on paragraph 856 0  

¶ 857 Leave a comment on paragraph 857 0 When Subhuti here speaks of “all the instruction ever given,” he is providing some detail about the benefit that people received from Lord Buddha’s instruction: that is, the total amount of benefit possible is all the benefit that people received.

¶ 858 Leave a comment on paragraph 858 0  

¶ 859 Leave a comment on paragraph 859 0  

¶ 860 Leave a comment on paragraph 860 0 How the Buddhas help

¶ 861 Leave a comment on paragraph 861 0  

¶ 862 Leave a comment on paragraph 862 0 RGYAL PO LA SOGS PA DAG KYANG ‘BANGS LA SOGS PA RTON PA DAG LA CI NUS KYIS RJES SU ‘DZIN NA, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS DE ‘DIR NGO MTSAR BA CI CHE SNYAM DU DOGS PA LA NGO MTSAR GYI RGYUR, DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA DGRA BCOM PA YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I SANGS RGYAS KYIS ZHES BYA BA SMOS SO,,

¶ 863 Leave a comment on paragraph 863 0  

¶ 864 Leave a comment on paragraph 864 0 Now we know that in the everyday world, people like kings do everything they can to be of assistance to those who depend upon them—whether it be the king’s subjects, or other such dependents.  And so someone reading the sutra might think to themselves, “Well why is it that the help that the Buddha gives is so much more amazing?”  To indicate the reason why it is so, we see the wording that begins with “the One Gone Thus, the Destroyer of the Foe, the Totally Enlightened One.”

¶ 865 Leave a comment on paragraph 865 0  

¶ 866 Leave a comment on paragraph 866 0  

¶ 867 Leave a comment on paragraph 867 0 DNGOS PO’I DE KHO NA JI LTA BA BZHIN DU GSUNGS PAS DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA‘O,,

¶ 868 Leave a comment on paragraph 868 0  

¶ 869 Leave a comment on paragraph 869 0 Now why is Lord Buddha referred to as “The One Gone Thus”?  It is because he describes the very nature of all things exactly as it is.

¶ 870 Leave a comment on paragraph 870 0  

¶ 871 Leave a comment on paragraph 871 0  

¶ 872 Leave a comment on paragraph 872 0 YANG NA SNGA MA DAG JI LTAR BDAG MED PA RNAM PA GNYIS KYI LAM NAS GSHEGS TE NYON MONGS PA DANG SHES BYA’I SGRIB PA SPANGS PA RNYED PA DE LTAR, ‘DIR YANG GSHEGS PAS DE BZHIN GSHEGS PA’O,,

¶ 873 Leave a comment on paragraph 873 0  

¶ 874 Leave a comment on paragraph 874 0 You can all say that he is the “One Who Has Gone That Way” in that—like the Buddhas who have come before him—the Conqueror too has travelled the path of the two ways in which nothing is itself; and thus reached a place where he has rid himself of the obstacles of the negative emotions and the obstacles to knowing all things.

¶ 875 Leave a comment on paragraph 875 0  

¶ 876 Leave a comment on paragraph 876 0  

¶ 877 Leave a comment on paragraph 877 0 ‘JIG RTEN MTHA’ DAG GIS MCHOD PAR ‘OS PA’I PHYIR RAM, DGRA NYON MONGS PA DAG BCOM PAR GYUR PAS DGRA BCOM PA‘O,,

¶ 878 Leave a comment on paragraph 878 0  

¶ 879 Leave a comment on paragraph 879 0 He is as well an “arhat,” either because he is worthy of the offerings of every being in the world; or because he has destroyed the enemy of everything having to do with the negative emotions.[24]

¶ 880 Leave a comment on paragraph 880 0  

¶ 881 Leave a comment on paragraph 881 0  

¶ 882 Leave a comment on paragraph 882 0 SHES BYA MTHA’ DAG YANG DAG PAR KUN NAS THUGS SU CHUD PAS YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I SANGS RGYAS SO,,

¶ 883 Leave a comment on paragraph 883 0  

¶ 884 Leave a comment on paragraph 884 0 We also say he is “a completely enlightened one,” in that he has grasped—perfectly, and in their entirety—every knowable thing there is.

¶ 885 Leave a comment on paragraph 885 0  

¶ 886 Leave a comment on paragraph 886 0  

¶ 887 Leave a comment on paragraph 887 0 TSIG DE DAG GIS NI BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS RANG BZHIN GYI DON MTHA’ DAG PHUN SUM TSOGS PA YE SHES DANG SPANGS PA YONGS SU BSTAN TO,,

¶ 888 Leave a comment on paragraph 888 0  

¶ 889 Leave a comment on paragraph 889 0 All of these expressions are meant to indicate that the Conqueror possesses a perfect wisdom, which realizes the ultimate nature of all things—in addition to the fact that he has rid himself of every undesirable quality.

¶ 890 Leave a comment on paragraph 890 0  

¶ 891 Leave a comment on paragraph 891 0  

¶ 892 Leave a comment on paragraph 892 0 DES ‘DI SKAD BSTAN PAR ‘GYUR TE, RGYAL PO LA SOGS PA ‘BANGS LA SOGS PA LA PHAN ‘DOGS PA DE ‘DIR NGO MTSAR MI CHE STE, DE DAG NI RNYED PA DANG BKUR STI LA SOGS PA RANG GI DON ‘DOD PAS GZHAN LA PHAN ‘DOGS KYI

¶ 893 Leave a comment on paragraph 893 0  

¶ 894 Leave a comment on paragraph 894 0 Here is what the words of the sutra are indicating at this point.  It is no great wonder when someone like a king undertakes actions to assist their subjects, and so on.  They do so because of what they get in return: material wealth, or the respect of others.

¶ 895 Leave a comment on paragraph 895 0  

¶ 896 Leave a comment on paragraph 896 0  

¶ 897 Leave a comment on paragraph 897 0 BCOM LDAN ‘DAS NI DE BZHIN GSHEGS TE, DGRA BCOM ZHING YANG DAG PAR RDZOGS PA’I SANGS RGYAS NAS PHUN SUM TSOGS PA MTHA’ DAG BRNYES PAS GANG PHAN ‘DOGS PA DE DAG NI ‘DIR NGO MTSAR YIN PAR BSTAN TO,,

¶ 898 Leave a comment on paragraph 898 0  

¶ 899 Leave a comment on paragraph 899 0 The Conqueror though has gone that way; he has destroyed the enemy, and reached perfect and total enlightenment.  He has attained every good thing that anyone could ever want—and so when he gives help to others, it really is something wonderful.

¶ 900 Leave a comment on paragraph 900 0  

¶ 901 Leave a comment on paragraph 901 0  

¶ 902 Leave a comment on paragraph 902 0 BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS PHAN ‘DOGS PA ‘DI LA NI THUGS BRTZE BA CHEN PO MA GTOGS PAR PHAN ‘DOGS PA’I RGYU GZHAN CI YANG MED PAS RNAM PA ‘DIS NI BCOM LDAN ‘DAS THUGS BRTZE BA CHEN PO KHO NAR STON TO,,

¶ 903 Leave a comment on paragraph 903 0  

¶ 904 Leave a comment on paragraph 904 0 When the Conqueror gives assistance to others, it is for no other reason than his great compassion.  And so the point of the section here is to indicate that he acts only out of this grand compassion.

¶ 905 Leave a comment on paragraph 905 0  

¶ 906 Leave a comment on paragraph 906 0  

¶ 907 Leave a comment on paragraph 907 0 PHAN BTAGS ZHES BYA BA NI MNGON PAR RDZOGS PAR BYANG CHUB STE, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS CHOS KYI ‘KHOR LO BSKOR BA’I DUS NA BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ DGE BA’I RTZA BA YONGS SU SMIN PA DAG SAR CHUD PAR MDZAD PA YIN TE, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ CHOS NYID LA RAB TU ‘JOG TU GZHUG PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 908 Leave a comment on paragraph 908 0  

¶ 909 Leave a comment on paragraph 909 0 And when we say that Lord Buddha has “helped” people, the point is that he has helped them to reach total enlightenment.  When the Conqueror turns the wheel of the teachings, he manages to take those bodhisattvas whose seeds of goodness are ripe, and transport them to the levels of purity.  That is, he puts them into a state where they are firmly established in the true nature of reality.[25]

¶ 910 Leave a comment on paragraph 910 0  

¶ 911 Leave a comment on paragraph 911 0  

¶ 912 Leave a comment on paragraph 912 0 [f. 209a] YONGS SU GTAD PA NI DGE BA’I RTZA BA YONGS SU MA SMIN PA LAS DANG PO PA DAG PHAN BTAGS PA DE DAG NYID LA GTAD PA STE, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ CHOS NYID LA RAB TU ‘JOG TU GZHUG PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 913 Leave a comment on paragraph 913 0  

¶ 914 Leave a comment on paragraph 914 0 When the sutra says that Lord Buddha “grants clear direction,” what it means is that he takes beginners, those whose seeds of goodness are not yet ripe, and helps them—directs them—to a place where they are ripe.  And the bodhisattvas he leads to that place where they are firmly established in the true nature of things.

¶ 915 Leave a comment on paragraph 915 0  

¶ 916 Leave a comment on paragraph 916 0  

¶ 917 Leave a comment on paragraph 917 0 NGA YONGS SU MYA NGAN LAS ‘DAS PAR BSTAN PA NI KHYED KYIS CI NAS DE DAG YON TAN MA THOB PA THOB PAR ‘GYUR BA DANG, THOB PA DAG LAS YONGS SU NYAMS PAR MI ‘GYUR BA DE LTAR GYIS SHIG ZHES BYA BA’O,,

¶ 918 Leave a comment on paragraph 918 0  

¶ 919 Leave a comment on paragraph 919 0 He is saying to beings, “I am teaching you how to reach total enlightenment; do everything you can to reach those good qualities that you have yet to reach, and never allow the good qualities that you have reached to degenerate.”

¶ 920 Leave a comment on paragraph 920 0  

¶ 921 Leave a comment on paragraph 921 0  

¶ 922 Leave a comment on paragraph 922 0 DE LTAR PHAN BTAGS PA DANG, YONGS SU BTAGS PA GNYIS KYIS SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR YONGS SU BSTAN TO,,

¶ 923 Leave a comment on paragraph 923 0  

¶ 924 Leave a comment on paragraph 924 0 By helping beings in these two ways—by helping them, and then helping them in a total way—he is actually showing them how to prevent the family line of the Buddhas from being broken in this world.

¶ 925 Leave a comment on paragraph 925 0  

¶ 926 Leave a comment on paragraph 926 0  

¶ 927 Leave a comment on paragraph 927 0 BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ RNAMS LA PHAN ‘DOGS PA NI RNAM PA LNGAS DAM PAR RIG PAR BYA STE, DUS DANG, KHYAD PAR DANG, RGYA CHE BA DANG, BSTAN PA DANG, KHYAB PA’O,,

¶ 928 Leave a comment on paragraph 928 0  

¶ 929 Leave a comment on paragraph 929 0 You should understand that the help which Lord Buddha gives to the bodhisattvas is supreme, in five different ways: in its duration; its distinction; its breadth; its presentation; and its extent.

¶ 930 Leave a comment on paragraph 930 0  

¶ 931 Leave a comment on paragraph 931 0  

¶ 932 Leave a comment on paragraph 932 0 DE LA DUS NI TSE RABS GZHAN PA YIN PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 933 Leave a comment on paragraph 933 0  

¶ 934 Leave a comment on paragraph 934 0 As for the duration, his help extends into future lives as well.

¶ 935 Leave a comment on paragraph 935 0  

¶ 936 Leave a comment on paragraph 936 0  

¶ 937 Leave a comment on paragraph 937 0 KHYAD PAR NI PHYI ROL PA DANG, NYAN THOS DANG, RANG SANGS RGYAS KYIS PHAN ‘DOGS PA DAG PAS KHYAD PAR DU ‘PHAGS PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 938 Leave a comment on paragraph 938 0  

¶ 939 Leave a comment on paragraph 939 0 As for distinction, his help is far superior to the help that might be given by someone outside the teachings; or by a listener; or by a self-made buddha.[26]

¶ 940 Leave a comment on paragraph 940 0  

¶ 941 Leave a comment on paragraph 941 0  

¶ 942 Leave a comment on paragraph 942 0 RGYA CHE BA NI PHAN ‘DOGS PA DE DAG BLA NA MED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 943 Leave a comment on paragraph 943 0  

¶ 944 Leave a comment on paragraph 944 0 In its breadth, the help which he gives to others is unsurpassed.

¶ 945 Leave a comment on paragraph 945 0  

¶ 946 Leave a comment on paragraph 946 0  

¶ 947 Leave a comment on paragraph 947 0 BSTAN PA NI GTAN DU BA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 948 Leave a comment on paragraph 948 0  

¶ 949 Leave a comment on paragraph 949 0 His presentation he gives to the end of time.

¶ 950 Leave a comment on paragraph 950 0  

¶ 951 Leave a comment on paragraph 951 0  

¶ 952 Leave a comment on paragraph 952 0 KHYAB PA NI PHAN ‘DOGS PA DE BDAG DANG GZHAN GYI RGYUD LA PHAN ‘DOGS PAR BYED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 953 Leave a comment on paragraph 953 0  

¶ 954 Leave a comment on paragraph 954 0 And finally his help extends in a way that he assists both himself and every other living being.

¶ 955 Leave a comment on paragraph 955 0  

¶ 956 Leave a comment on paragraph 956 0  

¶ 957 Leave a comment on paragraph 957 0 YONGS SU GTAD PA YANG RNAM PA GSUM GYIS DAM PAR BLTA STE, GNAS DANG CHOS NYID RAB TU ‘THOB PAR BYA BA DANG, BKAR GDAGS PA’O,,

¶ 958 Leave a comment on paragraph 958 0  

¶ 959 Leave a comment on paragraph 959 0 The clear direction that Lord Buddha grants is supreme as well, in three different ways.  He leads the bodhisattvas to a perfect place; to help which is automatic; and by his command.

¶ 960 Leave a comment on paragraph 960 0  

¶ 961 Leave a comment on paragraph 961 0  

¶ 962 Leave a comment on paragraph 962 0 GNAS JI LTA BU ZHE NA, GANG GIS DE DAG CHUD ZA BAR MI ‘GYUR BA’I DGE BA’I BSHES GNYEN DAG LA YONGS SU GTAD PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 963 Leave a comment on paragraph 963 0  

¶ 964 Leave a comment on paragraph 964 0 Where is the perfect place?  He directs, clearly, bodhisattvas to spiritual guides in whose hands their lives will never be wasted.

¶ 965 Leave a comment on paragraph 965 0  

¶ 966 Leave a comment on paragraph 966 0  

¶ 967 Leave a comment on paragraph 967 0 CHOS NYID RAB TU THOB PAR BYA BA JI LTA BU ZHE NA, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ PHAN BTAGS PA DAG GZHAN LA CHOS NYID KYIS PHAN ‘DOGS PA BYED DU BCUG PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 968 Leave a comment on paragraph 968 0  

¶ 969 Leave a comment on paragraph 969 0 How does he help others to achieve their goals automatically?  He automatically encourages the bodhisattvas whom he helps to pass this kind of help on to others.

¶ 970 Leave a comment on paragraph 970 0  

¶ 971 Leave a comment on paragraph 971 0  

¶ 972 Leave a comment on paragraph 972 0 BKAR GDAGS PA JI LTA BU ZHE NA, KHYED KYIS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ GZHAN DAG LA PHAN GDAGS PAR BYA’O ZHES BKAS GTAD PA’I PHYIR TE, MA GUS PAR NI MA YIN NO,,

¶ 973 Leave a comment on paragraph 973 0  

¶ 974 Leave a comment on paragraph 974 0 How does he help others, by his command?  Because those bodhisattvas that he helps he commands: “Now go, and give this kind of help to other bodhisattvas.”  And it is a command free of any kind of disrespect.

¶ 975 Leave a comment on paragraph 975 0  

¶ 976 Leave a comment on paragraph 976 0  

¶ 977 Leave a comment on paragraph 977 0 GLENG BSLANG BA DANG SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PAR BYA BA’I TSIG GI DON LA SOGS PA BSHAD ZIN TO,,

¶ 978 Leave a comment on paragraph 978 0  

¶ 979 Leave a comment on paragraph 979 0 This completes my explanation of the wording of how the conversation was started; and how the family line of the Buddha will be continuing, without interruption.

¶ 980 Leave a comment on paragraph 980 0  

¶ 981 Leave a comment on paragraph 981 0  

¶ 982 Leave a comment on paragraph 982 0 Subhuti’s question

¶ 983 Leave a comment on paragraph 983 0  

¶ 984 Leave a comment on paragraph 984 0 [K12]

¶ 985 Leave a comment on paragraph 985 0 Tatkathaṃ Bhagavanbodhisattvayānasaṃprasthitena kulaputreṇa vā kuladuhitrā vā sthātavyaṃ kathaṃ pratipattavyaṃ kathaṃ cittaṃ pragrahītavyam.

¶ 986 Leave a comment on paragraph 986 0  

¶ 987 Leave a comment on paragraph 987 0 世尊！诸有发趣菩萨乘者，

¶ 988 Leave a comment on paragraph 988 0 应云何住？云何修行？云何摄伏其心？作是语已。

¶ 989 Leave a comment on paragraph 989 0  

¶ 990 Leave a comment on paragraph 990 0 BCOM LDAN ‘DAS, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’I THEG PA LA YANG DAG PAR ZHUGS PAS JI LTAR GNAS PAR BGYI, JI LTAR BSGRUB PAR BGYI, JI LTAR SEMS RAB TU GZUNG BAR BGYI,

¶ 991 Leave a comment on paragraph 991 0  

¶ 992 Leave a comment on paragraph 992 0 And now, o Conquering One, what of those who have entered well into the way of the bodhisattva?  How shall they live?  How shall they practice?  How should they keep their thoughts?

¶ 993 Leave a comment on paragraph 993 0  

¶ 994 Leave a comment on paragraph 994 0  

¶ 995 Leave a comment on paragraph 995 0 SGRUB PA’I MTSAN NYID BRJOD PAR BYA STE, DE’I DBANG DU BYAS NAS, JI LTAR ZHES BYA BA SMOS SO,,

¶ 996 Leave a comment on paragraph 996 0  

¶ 997 Leave a comment on paragraph 997 0 This brings us to our fourth section: a definitive presentation of spiritual practice.  It is in this regard that Subhuti asks…“How?”

¶ 998 Leave a comment on paragraph 998 0  

¶ 999 Leave a comment on paragraph 999 0  

¶ 1000 Leave a comment on paragraph 1000 0 ‘PHAGS PA RAB ‘BYOR GYIS RNAM PA DRUG GI PHYIR ZHUS TE, DOGS PA BCAD PA DANG, MOS PA BSKYED PA DANG, DON ZAB MO LA ‘JUG PAR BYA BA DANG, MI LDOG PAR BYA BA DANG, MCHOG TU [f. 209b] DGA’ BA BSKYED PA DANG, DAM PA’I CHOS YUN RING DU GNAS PAR BYA’O,,

¶ 1001 Leave a comment on paragraph 1001 0  

¶ 1002 Leave a comment on paragraph 1002 0 The realized being Subhuti asks his question for six different reasons: to address a doubt; to inspire us; to lead us to that deepest of all objects;[27] to prevent us from ever turning back; to give us highest joy; and so that these highest teachings will remain long in this world.

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¶ 1005 Leave a comment on paragraph 1005 0 DE LA SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA ‘DI JI LTAR SANGS RGYAS KYI GDUNG RGYUN MI ‘CHAD PA YIN SNYAM DU DOGS PA RNAMS KYI DOGS PA BCAD PA’I PHYIR,

¶ 1006 Leave a comment on paragraph 1006 0  

¶ 1007 Leave a comment on paragraph 1007 0 Subhuti is asking the question to address a doubt because he is wondering how it is that this perfection of wisdom is going to prevent the family line of the Buddha from ever being interrupted.

¶ 1008 Leave a comment on paragraph 1008 0  

¶ 1009 Leave a comment on paragraph 1009 0  

¶ 1010 Leave a comment on paragraph 1010 0 BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ RGYUD YONGS SU MA SMIN PA BSOD NAMS MANG BAR BSGRAGS PAS SHES RAB KYI PHA ROL TU PHYIN PA LA MOS PA BSKYED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 1011 Leave a comment on paragraph 1011 0  

¶ 1012 Leave a comment on paragraph 1012 0 And when it is communicated to to the bodhisattvas whose minds are still not completely ripened how much fine karma it creates, they will be inspired to learn the perfection of wisdom.

¶ 1013 Leave a comment on paragraph 1013 0  

¶ 1014 Leave a comment on paragraph 1014 0  

¶ 1015 Leave a comment on paragraph 1015 0 RGYUD YONGS SU SMIN PA RNAMS DON ZAB MO LA ‘JUG PAR BYA BA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 1016 Leave a comment on paragraph 1016 0  

¶ 1017 Leave a comment on paragraph 1017 0 Those whose minds are already highly ripened will be lead to that deepest of objects.

¶ 1018 Leave a comment on paragraph 1018 0  

¶ 1019 Leave a comment on paragraph 1019 0  

¶ 1020 Leave a comment on paragraph 1020 0 YANG DAG PA MA YIN PA’I BSGRUBS PAS MNAR BA DE LEN PA DANG ‘DZIN PA LA RTZOM PA RNAMS BSOD NAMS MANG PO ‘DOD PAS MI LDOG PAR BYA BA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 1021 Leave a comment on paragraph 1021 0  

¶ 1022 Leave a comment on paragraph 1022 0 Those who have been suffering under mistaken spiritual practices will gain a desire to gain the greater good karma of taking up this teaching, and committing it to memory; so that they never turn back again.

¶ 1023 Leave a comment on paragraph 1023 0  

¶ 1024 Leave a comment on paragraph 1024 0  

¶ 1025 Leave a comment on paragraph 1025 0 PHAN GDAGS PA LHAG PA’I BSAM PA DAG PA RNAMS BDAG GIS CHOS DE RTOGS PAR MTHONG NAS MCHOG TU DGA’ BA BSKYED PA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 1026 Leave a comment on paragraph 1026 0  

¶ 1027 Leave a comment on paragraph 1027 0 Those who receive the help and have an attitude of taking personal responsibility for all beings will think to themselves, “My!  I have already had realizations of the perfection that you’re describing!”—and they will feel the very highest joy.

¶ 1028 Leave a comment on paragraph 1028 0  

¶ 1029 Leave a comment on paragraph 1029 0  

¶ 1030 Leave a comment on paragraph 1030 0 MA ‘ONGS PA’I DUS NA THEG PA CHEN PO’I CHOS YUN RING DU GNAS PAR BYA BA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 1031 Leave a comment on paragraph 1031 0  

¶ 1032 Leave a comment on paragraph 1032 0 And the final purpose for asking the question is that it will help the teachings of the higher way continue far into the future.

¶ 1033 Leave a comment on paragraph 1033 0  

¶ 1034 Leave a comment on paragraph 1034 0  

¶ 1035 Leave a comment on paragraph 1035 0 MDOR BSDU NA DOGS PA RNAMS LA YANG DAG PAR BSTAN PAR BYA BA DANG, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ YONGS SU MA SMIN PA BSOD NAMS ‘DOD PA RNAMS YANG DAG PAR ‘DZIN DU GZHUG PA DANG, LOG PAR BSGRUBS PAS MNAR BA RNAMS YANG DAG PAR GZENGS BSTOD PA DANG, BSAM PA DAG PA RNAMS RAB TU DGA’ BAR BYA BA’I PHYIR RO,,

¶ 1036 Leave a comment on paragraph 1036 0  

¶ 1037 Leave a comment on paragraph 1037 0 To summarize all these purposes for the question, those who are entertaining some doubt will receive clarification; bodhisattvas who are not yet ripe, and who seek to do good, will be led to a higher good; those suffering under mistaken spiritual practices will be uplifted to what is pure; and those of pure thoughts will experience highest joy.

¶ 1038 Leave a comment on paragraph 1038 0  

¶ 1039 Leave a comment on paragraph 1039 0  

¶ 1040 Leave a comment on paragraph 1040 0 Life, practice, & thought

¶ 1041 Leave a comment on paragraph 1041 0  

¶ 1042 Leave a comment on paragraph 1042 0 DE LA GNAS PAR BYA BA NI ‘DUN PA DANG SMON LAM GNYIS KYIS SO,,

¶ 1043 Leave a comment on paragraph 1043 0  

¶ 1044 Leave a comment on paragraph 1044 0 Now when Subhuti asks about how we should “live,” he is told that we should live in a state of aspiration and prayer.

¶ 1045 Leave a comment on paragraph 1045 0  

¶ 1046 Leave a comment on paragraph 1046 0  

¶ 1047 Leave a comment on paragraph 1047 0 BSGRUB PAR BYA BA NI RNAL ‘BYOR LA SNYOMS PAR ‘JUG PAS SO,,

¶ 1048 Leave a comment on paragraph 1048 0  

¶ 1049 Leave a comment on paragraph 1049 0 When he asks about how we should practice, he is told that we should undertake a spiritual practice of meditation.

¶ 1050 Leave a comment on paragraph 1050 0  

¶ 1051 Leave a comment on paragraph 1051 0  

¶ 1052 Leave a comment on paragraph 1052 0 SEMS RAB TU GZUNG BAR BYA BA NI RNAM PAR G-YENG BA TSAR BCAD NAS SO,,

¶ 1053 Leave a comment on paragraph 1053 0  

¶ 1054 Leave a comment on paragraph 1054 0 When he asks about how we should keep our thoughts, he is told that we should put a stop to our constant distraction.

¶ 1055 Leave a comment on paragraph 1055 0  

¶ 1056 Leave a comment on paragraph 1056 0  

¶ 1057 Leave a comment on paragraph 1057 0 DE LA ‘DUN PA NI MNGON PAR ‘DOD PA’O, ,SMON LAM NI MNGON PAR ‘DOD PA’I DON LA SEMS MNGON PAR ‘DU BYED PA’I MTSAN NYID KYIS SEMS PA GANG YIN PA’O,,

¶ 1058 Leave a comment on paragraph 1058 0  

¶ 1059 Leave a comment on paragraph 1059 0 When we say “aspiration” here, what we’re referring to is a strong desire.  And when we say “prayer,” we’re speaking of thoughts that are characterized by a powerful focus towards the things we have this strong desire to achieve.

¶ 1060 Leave a comment on paragraph 1060 0  

¶ 1061 Leave a comment on paragraph 1061 0  

¶ 1062 Leave a comment on paragraph 1062 0 RNAL ‘BYOR LA SNYOMS PAR ‘JUG PA NI RNAM PAR MI RTOG PA’I TING NGE ‘DZIN GANG YIN PA’O,,

¶ 1063 Leave a comment on paragraph 1063 0  

¶ 1064 Leave a comment on paragraph 1064 0 When we speak of “undertaking a spiritual practice of meditation,” we’re referring to a state of meditative concentration beyond all thoughts that things could come from themselves.

¶ 1065 Leave a comment on paragraph 1065 0  

¶ 1066 Leave a comment on paragraph 1066 0  

¶ 1067 Leave a comment on paragraph 1067 0 RNAM PAR G-YENG BA TSAR GCOD PA NI TING NGE ‘DZIN LAS RNAM PAR G-YENGS BA LAS SEMS BLAN TE DE NYID LA ‘JUG PA’O,,

¶ 1068 Leave a comment on paragraph 1068 0  

¶ 1069 Leave a comment on paragraph 1069 0 And when we mention “putting a stop to our constant distraction,” we mean that—when our mind goes off into a distraction during our meditation—we “patch it back,” meaning that we bring it back to the meditation.

¶ 1070 Leave a comment on paragraph 1070 0  

¶ 1071 Leave a comment on paragraph 1071 0  

¶ 1072 Leave a comment on paragraph 1072 0 DANG POS NI SBYOR BA’I LAM GNYIS PAS NI GRUB PA’I LAM GSUM PAS NI CHUD MI ZA BA’I LAM YONGS SU BSTAN TO,,

¶ 1073 Leave a comment on paragraph 1073 0  

¶ 1074 Leave a comment on paragraph 1074 0 The first of these—aspiration and prayer—is a reference to the path of preparation.  The second—the meditation—is a reference to the path of attainment.  And the third—stopping our distraction—is referring to that path where we can no longer waste our life.[28]

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¶ 1077 Leave a comment on paragraph 1077 0  

¶ 1078 Leave a comment on paragraph 1078 0 Subhuti is asked to listen

¶ 1079 Leave a comment on paragraph 1079 0  

¶ 1080 Leave a comment on paragraph 1080 0 [K13]

¶ 1081 Leave a comment on paragraph 1081 0 Evamukte Bhagavānāyuṣmantaṃ Subhūtimetadavocat

¶ 1082 Leave a comment on paragraph 1082 0  

¶ 1083 Leave a comment on paragraph 1083 0 尔时，世尊告具寿善现曰：

¶ 1084 Leave a comment on paragraph 1084 0  

¶ 1085 Leave a comment on paragraph 1085 0 DE SKAD CES GSOL PA DANG, BCOM LDAN ‘DAS KYIS TSE DANG LDAN PA RAB ‘BYOR LA ‘DI SKAD CES BKA’ STZAL TO,,

¶ 1086 Leave a comment on paragraph 1086 0  

¶ 1087 Leave a comment on paragraph 1087 0 This did Subhuti ask, and then the Conqueror spoke the following words, in reply to Subhuti’s question:

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¶ 1089 Leave a comment on paragraph 1089 0  

¶ 1090 Leave a comment on paragraph 1090 0 Sādhu sādhu Subhūte evametatSubhūte evametadyathā vadasi.  Anuparigṛhītās Tathāgatena bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ parameṇānugraheṇa parīnditās Tathāgatena bodhisattvā mahāsattvāḥ paramayā parīndanayā.

¶ 1091 Leave a comment on paragraph 1091 0  

¶ 1092 Leave a comment on paragraph 1092 0 善哉！善哉！善现！如是，如是。如汝所说。

¶ 1093 Leave a comment on paragraph 1093 0 乃至如来、应、正等觉，能以最胜摄受，摄受诸菩萨摩诃萨；

¶ 1094 Leave a comment on paragraph 1094 0 乃至如来、应、正等觉，能以最胜付嘱，付嘱诸菩萨摩诃萨。

¶ 1095 Leave a comment on paragraph 1095 0  

¶ 1096 Leave a comment on paragraph 1096 0 RAB ‘BYOR, LEGS SO, ,LEGS SO, ,RAB ‘BYOR, DE DE BZHIN NO, ,DE DE BZHIN TE, DE BZHIN GSHEGS PAS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO RNAMS LA PHAN GDAGS PA’I DAM PAS PHAN BTAGS SO, ,DE BZHIN GSHEGS PAS BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’ SEMS DPA’ CHEN PO RNAMS LA YONGS SU GTAD PA’I DAM PAS YONGS SU GTAD DO,,

¶ 1097 Leave a comment on paragraph 1097 0  

¶ 1098 Leave a comment on paragraph 1098 0 O Subhuti, it is good, it is good.  O Subhuti, thus it is, and thus is it: the One Thus Gone has indeed done benefit to the bodhisattvas who are great beings, by granting them beneficial instruction.  The One Thus Gone has indeed given clear direction to the bodhisattvas who are great beings, by granting them the clearest of instruction.

¶ 1099 Leave a comment on paragraph 1099 0  

¶ 1100 Leave a comment on paragraph 1100 0  

¶ 1101 Leave a comment on paragraph 1101 0 [K14]

¶ 1102 Leave a comment on paragraph 1102 0 Tena hi Subhūte śṛṇu sādhu ca suṣṭhu ca manasi kuru.  Bhāṣiṣye’haṃ teyathā bodhisattvayānasaṃprasthitena sthātavyaṃ yathā pratipattavyaṃ yathā cittaṃ pragrahītavyam.

¶ 1103 Leave a comment on paragraph 1103 0  

¶ 1104 Leave a comment on paragraph 1104 0 是故，善现！汝应谛听，极善作意，吾当为汝分别解说。

¶ 1105 Leave a comment on paragraph 1105 0 诸有发趣菩萨乘者，应如是住，如是修行，如是摄伏其心。

¶ 1106 Leave a comment on paragraph 1106 0  

¶ 1107 Leave a comment on paragraph 1107 0 RAB ‘BYOR, DE’I PHYIR NYON LA LEGS PAR RAB TU YID LA ZUNGS SHIG DANG, BYANG CHUB SEMS DPA’I THEG PA LA YANG DAG PAR ZHUGS PAS JI LTAR GNAS PAR BYA BA DANG, JI LTAR BSGRUB PAR BYA BA DANG, JI LTAR SEMS RAB TU GZUNG BAR BYA BA NGAS KHYOD LA BSHAD DO,,

¶ 1108 Leave a comment on paragraph 1108 0  

¶ 1109 Leave a comment on paragraph 1109 0 And since it is so, o Subhuti, listen now to what I speak, and be sure that it stays firmly in your heart, for I shall reveal to you how it is that those who have entered well into the way of the bodhisattva should live, and how they should practice, and how they should keep their thoughts.

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¶ 1112 Leave a comment on paragraph 1112 0  

¶ 1113 Leave a comment on paragraph 1113 0 To be continued!

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¶ 1121 Leave a comment on paragraph 1121 0 Appendices

¶ 1122 Leave a comment on paragraph 1122 0  

¶ 1123 Leave a comment on paragraph 1123 0  

¶ 1124 Leave a comment on paragraph 1124 0 Comparative list of the names

¶ 1125 Leave a comment on paragraph 1125 0 of divine beings & places

¶ 1126 Leave a comment on paragraph 1126 0  

¶ 1127 Leave a comment on paragraph 1127 0  

¶ 1128 Leave a comment on paragraph 1128 0 English         Sanskrit        Chinese         Tibetan

¶ 1129 Leave a comment on paragraph 1129 0  

¶ 1130 Leave a comment on paragraph 1130 0 Able One           Muni                            牟尼/能仁          Thub-pa

¶ 1131 Leave a comment on paragraph 1131 0  

¶ 1132 Leave a comment on paragraph 1132 0 Conqueror                 Bhagavān          薄伽梵/世尊                bCom-ldan-‘das

¶ 1133 Leave a comment on paragraph 1133 0  

¶ 1134 Leave a comment on paragraph 1134 0 Gentle Voice              Mañjughoṣa,              妙音菩萨            ‘Jam-dbyangs

¶ 1135 Leave a comment on paragraph 1135 0 Mañjuśrī            文殊师利            ‘Jam-dpal dbyangs

¶ 1136 Leave a comment on paragraph 1136 0  

¶ 1137 Leave a comment on paragraph 1137 0 Heaven              Sukhāvatī          极乐世界            bDe-ba can

¶ 1138 Leave a comment on paragraph 1138 0 of Happiness

¶ 1139 Leave a comment on paragraph 1139 0  

¶ 1140 Leave a comment on paragraph 1140 0 The Invincible  Ajita                   阿逸多/无能胜  Mi-pham

¶ 1141 Leave a comment on paragraph 1141 0  

¶ 1142 Leave a comment on paragraph 1142 0 Keeper               Vajradhara                 金刚持                rDo-rje ‘chang

¶ 1143 Leave a comment on paragraph 1143 0 of the Diamond

¶ 1144 Leave a comment on paragraph 1144 0  

¶ 1145 Leave a comment on paragraph 1145 0 Loving One                Maitreya            弥勒/慈氏          Byams-pa

¶ 1146 Leave a comment on paragraph 1146 0  

¶ 1147 Leave a comment on paragraph 1147 0 One Gone to Bliss      Sugata                善逝/好去          bDe-bar gshegs-pa

¶ 1148 Leave a comment on paragraph 1148 0  

¶ 1149 Leave a comment on paragraph 1149 0 One Gone Thus Tathāgata          如來                    De-bzhin gshegs-pa

¶ 1150 Leave a comment on paragraph 1150 0  

¶ 1151 Leave a comment on paragraph 1151 0 Victor                          Jina                     最胜                    rGyal-ba

¶ 1152 Leave a comment on paragraph 1152 0  

¶ 1153 Leave a comment on paragraph 1153 0  

¶ 1154 Leave a comment on paragraph 1154 0  

¶ 1155 Leave a comment on paragraph 1155 0  

¶ 1156 Leave a comment on paragraph 1156 0 Bibliography of works

¶ 1157 Leave a comment on paragraph 1157 0 originally written in Sanskrit

¶ 1158 Leave a comment on paragraph 1158 0  

¶ 1159 Leave a comment on paragraph 1159 0 Please note that throughout this translation, a Sanskrit term which is reconstructed from the Tibetan (and not yet confirmed in the original Sanskrit) is marked with an asterisk (*).

¶ 1160 Leave a comment on paragraph 1160 0  

¶ 1161 Leave a comment on paragraph 1161 0 S1

¶ 1162 Leave a comment on paragraph 1162 0 Śākyamuni Buddha (Tib: Sh’akya thub-pa), 500bc.  The Diamond Cutter, an Exalted Presentation on the Perfection of Wisdom (Ārya Vajracchedaka Nāma Prajñā Pāramitā Mahāyāna Sūtra) (Tib: ‘Phags-pa shes-rab kyi pha-rol tu phyin-pa rDo-rje gcod-pa zhes-bya-ba theg-pa chen-po’i mdo, Tibetan translation at KL00016, ff. 215a-235b of Vol. 1 [Ka] in the “Other Teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom” Section [Sher-phyin sna-tsogs] of the bKa’-‘gyur [lHa-sa edition]). ]).  For the Sanskrit we have primarily referred to: Vagrakkhedikâ, the Diamond Cutter, in Texts, Documents, and Extracts Chiefly from Manuscripts in the Bodleian and Other Oxford Libraries, Aryan Series Vol. 1, Part 1: Buddhist Texts from Japan, edited by F. Max Müller (Oxford: The Clarendon Press, 1881), pp. 13-46.

¶ 1163 Leave a comment on paragraph 1163 0  

¶ 1164 Leave a comment on paragraph 1164 0  

¶ 1165 Leave a comment on paragraph 1165 0 S2

¶ 1166 Leave a comment on paragraph 1166 0 Kamalaśīla (Tib: Ka-ma-la-sh’i-la), c. 775ad.  A Detailed Commentary to the Diamond Cutter: An Exalted Presentation of the Perfection of Wisdom (Ārya Prajñā Pāramitā Vajracchedika Ṭīkā) (Tib: ‘Phags-pa Shes-rab kyi pha-rol tu phyin-pa rDo-rje gcod-pa’i rgya-cher ‘grel-pa, Tibetan translation at TD03817, ff. 204a-267a of Vol. 16 (Ma) in the Perfection of Wisdom Section [Prajñā Pāramitā, Sher-phyin] of the bsTan-‘gyur [sDe-dge edition]).

¶ 1167 Leave a comment on paragraph 1167 0  

¶ 1168 Leave a comment on paragraph 1168 0 S3

¶ 1169 Leave a comment on paragraph 1169 0 Kamalaśīla (Tib: Ka-ma-la-sh’i-la), c. 775ad.  An Extensive Commentary upon the Exalted “Mantra for Entering the State Beyond All Thought” (Ārya Avikalpa Praveśa Dhāraṇī Ṭīkā) (Tib: ‘Phags-pa rnam-par mi-rtog-par ‘jug-pa’i gzungs kyi rgya-cher ‘grel-pa, Tibetan translation at TD04000, ff. 123a-145b of Vol. 4 (Ji) in the Commentaries on Sutras Section [Vṛtti, mDo-‘grel] of the bsTan-‘gyur [sDe-dge edition]).

¶ 1170 Leave a comment on paragraph 1170 0  

¶ 1171 Leave a comment on paragraph 1171 0 S4

¶ 1172 Leave a comment on paragraph 1172 0 Śākyamuni Buddha (Tib: Sh’akya thub-pa), 500bc.  The Height of the Profound Secret: A Secret Teaching on the Play of Glorious Heruka’s Compassion (Śrī Heruka Kāruṇa Krīḍita Tantra Guhya Gambhīrottama) (Tib: dPal He-ru-ka snying-rje rol-pa’i rgyud gSang-ba zab-mo’i mchog, Tibetan translation at KL00840, ff. 188b-297a of Vol. 21 (Zha) in the Secret Teachings Section [Tantra, rGyud] of the bKa’-‘gyur [lHa-sa edition]).

¶ 1173 Leave a comment on paragraph 1173 0  

¶ 1174 Leave a comment on paragraph 1174 0 S5

¶ 1175 Leave a comment on paragraph 1175 0 Dharmakīrti (Tib: Chos kyi grags-pa).  A Detailed Commentary on Valid Perception (Pramāṇavārtika) (Tib: rGyas-pa’i bstan-bcos tsad-ma rnam-‘grel, Tibetan translation at TD04210, Vol. 1 [Ce] of the Valid-Perception Section [Pramāṇa, Tsad-ma] of the bsTan-‘gyur [sDe-dge edition]).

¶ 1176 Leave a comment on paragraph 1176 0  

¶ 1177 Leave a comment on paragraph 1177 0 S6

¶ 1178 Leave a comment on paragraph 1178 0 Nāgadhvaja (Tib: Klu’i rgyal-mtsan).  An Explication of the Exalted Sutra which Reveals the True Intent (Ārya Saṃdhi Nirmocana Sūtrasya Vyākhyā) (Tib: ‘Phags-pa dGongs-pa nges-par ‘grel-pa’i mdo’i rnam-par bshad-pa, Tibetan translation at TD04358, Vols. 2 (Cho, ff. 1b-293a) and 3 (Jo, ff. 1b-183b) in the Miscellany Section (Citra, sNa-tsogs) of the bsTan-‘gyur [sDe-dge edition]).  According to the native catalog to the Derge edition of the Tengyur, the authorship is in some doubt.

¶ 1179 Leave a comment on paragraph 1179 0  

¶ 1180 Leave a comment on paragraph 1180 0 S7

¶ 1181 Leave a comment on paragraph 1181 0 Śākyamuni Buddha (Tib: Sh’akya thub-pa), 500bc.  The Exalted Sutra named “The Perfect Compendium of All Things” (Ārya Saṃgīti Nāma Mahāyāna Sūtra) (Tib: ‘Phags-pa Chos yang-dag-par sdud-pa zhes-bya-ba theg-pa chen-po’i mdo, Tibetan translation at KL00238, ff. 1b-154a of Vol. 19 [Dza] in the Sutra Section [Sūtra, mDo-mang] of the bKa’-‘gyur [lHa-sa edition]).

¶ 1182 Leave a comment on paragraph 1182 0  

¶ 1183 Leave a comment on paragraph 1183 0  

¶ 1184 Leave a comment on paragraph 1184 0  

¶ 1185 Leave a comment on paragraph 1185 0

¶ 1186 Leave a comment on paragraph 1186 0  

¶ 1187 Leave a comment on paragraph 1187 0  

¶ 1188 Leave a comment on paragraph 1188 0 Bibliography of works

¶ 1189 Leave a comment on paragraph 1189 0 originally written in Tibetan

¶ 1190 Leave a comment on paragraph 1190 0  

¶ 1191 Leave a comment on paragraph 1191 0 B1

¶ 1192 Leave a comment on paragraph 1192 0 lCang-skya Rol-pa’i rdo-rje (1717-1786).  The Lovely Jewel for the Mountain Peak of the Teachings of the Able Ones: A Survey which Clearly Explains the Schools of Philosophy (Grub-pa’i mtha’i rnam-par bzhag-pa gsal-bar bshad-pa Thub-bstan lhun-po’i mdzes-rgyan zhes-bya-ba las sde-tsan gnyis-pa, ACIP S00061), in four parts: Vol. 1 (36 ff.); Vol. 2 (36 ff.); Vol. 3 (79 ff.); and Vol. 4 (149 ff.).

¶ 1193 Leave a comment on paragraph 1193 0  

¶ 1194 Leave a comment on paragraph 1194 0 B2

¶ 1195 Leave a comment on paragraph 1195 0 (mKhas-grub) bsTan-pa dar-rgyas (1493-1568).  An Illumination of the “Jewel of the Essence of Good Explanation“—an Overview of the Root Text and Commentary to the Classical Commentary Known as “The Jewel of Realizations” (bsTan-bcos mngon-par rtogs-pa’i rgyan rtza-‘grel gyi spyi-don rNam-bshad snying-po rgyan gyi snang-ba phar-phyin spyi-don, ACIP S00009), in 6 volumes: Vol. 1 (commentary to the first chapter), 141ff; Vol. 2 (second chapter), 37ff; Vol. 3 (third chapter), 15ff; Vol. 4 (fourth chapter), 65ff; Vol. 5 (fifth through seventh chapters), 21ff; and Vol. 6 (eighth chapter), 24ff.

¶ 1196 Leave a comment on paragraph 1196 0  

¶ 1197 Leave a comment on paragraph 1197 0 B3

¶ 1198 Leave a comment on paragraph 1198 0 (rJe-drung) Shes-rab dbang-po (1500-1586).  The True Intent Made Even More Clear: A Treatment of Difficult Points in the Explanation of “Entering the Middle Way” entitled “Illumination of the True Thought” (dBu-ma la ‘jug-pa’i rnam-bshad dGongs-pa rab-gsal gyi dka’-gnad gtan la ‘bebs-pa dGongs-pa yang-gsal), ACIP S00273, 188 ff.

¶ 1199 Leave a comment on paragraph 1199 0  

¶ 1200 Leave a comment on paragraph 1200 0 B4

¶ 1201 Leave a comment on paragraph 1201 0 (dGe-bshes Gro-lung-pa) Blo-gros ‘byung-gnas (c. 1100ad).  An Explanation of the Steps to the Path for Entering into the Precious Teachings of Those Who Have Gone to Bliss (bDe-bar gshegs-pa’i bstan-pa rin-po-che la ‘jug-pa’i lam gyi rim-pa rnam-par bshad-pa) [popular title: The Great Book on the Steps to the Teaching (bsTan-rim chen-mo)], in two parts (ACIP SE0070-1 and ACIP SE0070-2), folios 1a-295b and folios 296a-548a, respectively.

¶ 1202 Leave a comment on paragraph 1202 0  

¶ 1203 Leave a comment on paragraph 1203 0 [1] A Detailed Commentary: For Master Kamalashila’s commentary, we will be using the Derge edition (see bibliography entry %S2, ACIP digital text TD03817); and for the Diamond Cutter itself we’ll be using the Lhasa edition (bibliography entry %S1, ACIP digital text KL00016).  We have inserted the sections of the original sutra where they are commented upon, and followed Kamalashila’s decisions on divisions to create a standard enumeration of the sutra sections.

¶ 1204 Leave a comment on paragraph 1204 0 For the Sanskrit of the sutra, we are using a version compiled from different sources, primarily that of Max Müller (see bibliography entry %S1), to match the commentary and the Tibetan edition.  We would not consider this compilation final until we have compared more of the available editions (we are in the process of inputting them), but it is sufficient for scholars who wish to see the corresponding Sanskrit.  We have not located an original Sanskrit version for Master Kamalashila; nor does there appear to be a Chinese translation available.

¶ 1205 Leave a comment on paragraph 1205 0 Please note that we have included here, following the commentary, a complete version of the sutra by itself in four languages: Sanskrit, Chinese, Tibetan, and English.  This way interested readers can follow the sutra’s flow by itself.

¶ 1206 Leave a comment on paragraph 1206 0 [2] Gentle Voice, become Young: The wisdom of all the Buddhas in the form of a divine being.  We have translated names of such beings where these can be considered epithets; for a table of these names in translation and the various source languages, see the appendices.

¶ 1207 Leave a comment on paragraph 1207 0 The prostration here is a traditional obeisance by the translators and editors of the commentary from Sanskrit into the Tibetan, and is not a part of the original work.  They are listed in the colophon of the Derge edition of the work as “the Indian masters named Manjushri and Jinamitra; along with the master Tibetan editor and translator Yeshe De” (see f. 267a, %S2, ACIP digital text TD03817).

¶ 1208 Leave a comment on paragraph 1208 0  

¶ 1209 Leave a comment on paragraph 1209 0 [3] A mouthful of jawbreakers: “Jawbreaker” is of course an English expression for an overly difficult idea that takes its name from a very hard candy that can break your teeth.  We’ve used it here as a translation of the expression “ten pomegranate seeds,” which is meant to convey overly difficult, misleading, abstruse explanation.  See for example the discussion of the term by the great comparative philosopher Changkya Rolpay Dorje (1717-1786) (f. 18a of Vol. 1, %B1, ACIP digital text S00986).

¶ 1210 Leave a comment on paragraph 1210 0 [4] Triśatikā prajñāpāramitā: The Sanskrit here includes the alternate traditional title of the work: The Perfection of Wisdom in 300 Lines.

¶ 1211 Leave a comment on paragraph 1211 0 [5] The shape of a diamond: This refers to the unique shape of a twinned diamond crystal, and the ritual instrument that came from it—both the diamond and the instrument are referred to with the Sanskrit word for diamond, which is vajra.

¶ 1212 Leave a comment on paragraph 1212 0 Well-formed diamond crystals come in an octahedral shape such as that seen here in the first photograph.  The outline of this shape is where the diamond on playing cards, and the diamond of a baseball field, take their name from.

¶ 1213 Leave a comment on paragraph 1213 0 In special cases, two of these crystals will form and meld into each other, creating the twinned shape seen in the second photograph here.  The “grain” of the diamonds, which is much like the grain of a piece of wood, then intertwines as well, creating a structure which is even more impervious than a regular diamond: it cannot be cut by any other naturally occurring substance in the universe.

¶ 1214 Leave a comment on paragraph 1214 0 This twinned structure was then imitated in the common ritual instrument, or vajra, seen here in the third picture.  And so for the shape of the diamond he is describing, Master Kamalashila has tellingly taken the classic twinned, impervious crystal as his model: one which can cut anything.

¶ 1215 Leave a comment on paragraph 1215 0 [6] Namo Bhagavatyā: Note that the primary Sanskrit edition we are utilizing gives the obeisance here as: I bow to the Conquering Lady, the Exalted Perfection of Wisdom.

¶ 1216 Leave a comment on paragraph 1216 0 [7] I bow down: This is the traditional obeisance by the translators of the original sutra from Sanskrit into Tibetan, and is thus not commented on by Master Kamalashila hundreds of years prior.  We have added it here for completeness, to match the current version.  The translators listed in the Lhasa edition are Masters Shilendra Bodhi and Yeshe De.

¶ 1217 Leave a comment on paragraph 1217 0 [8] Evaṃ mayā śrutam: The Sanskrit original that we are using (Müller) divides the original sutra into 32 sections; these section numbers will be included at the beginning of each section in parantheses.

¶ 1218 Leave a comment on paragraph 1218 0 [9] Demon of the divine youth: The other three demons are easily understood; the “divine youth” is actually a reference to anything that would distract us from spiritual practices which stop the Lord of Death.  See for example the explanation by Kedrup Tenpa Dargye (1493-1568) at f. 63b, Vol. 4 of his overview of the Jewel of Realizations (%B2, S00009).

¶ 1219 Leave a comment on paragraph 1219 0 [10] The powers and so on: A reference to the 37 high qualities which contribute to our enlightenment.  These come in seven groups; the fourth consists of the five powers of faith; joyful effort; awareness; meditative concentration; and wisdom.  See for example ff. 89a-89b of the explanation of Je Tsongkapa’s Illumination of the True Thought by Gelong Sherab Wangpo (1500-1586) (%B3, S00273).

¶ 1220 Leave a comment on paragraph 1220 0 [11] Six kinds of excellence: The verse is found in another text by Master Kamalashila—his commentary to “The Mantra for Entering the State Beyond All Thought” (see f. 126a, %S3, TD04000), as well as in a secret teaching of Heruka from the Kangyur (see ff. 245b-246a, %S4, KL00840).  The latter includes a reference to the destruction of the four demons.

¶ 1221 Leave a comment on paragraph 1221 0 [12] His own and others’ needs: It is essentially a traditional definition of an Enlightened Being that they have completed, to perfection, their own and all others’ goals.  The classic reference to this is the opening lines of the Commentary on Valid Perception by Master Dharmakirti (c. 650) (see f. 94b, %S5, TD04210).

¶ 1222 Leave a comment on paragraph 1222 0 [13] Divided themselves from negative emotions: Master Kamalashila is obviously making use of a Sanskrit derivation here; it’s not definitely clear since we haven’t got a copy of the original Sanskrit of his work, but we think we’ve got it right; as with the immediately following.

¶ 1223 Leave a comment on paragraph 1223 0 [14] Listener track: As we go through the sutra, we will see the word “listener” used to describe those disciples of the Buddha who were not yet following the bodhisattva ideal of working to attain enlightenement to be of service to all beings.  It is traditionally said that they can “listen” to these higher teachings—and even repeat them to others—but are not yet capable of following these themselves.

¶ 1224 Leave a comment on paragraph 1224 0 [15] Profound and widespread: Buddhist technical terms referring, respectively, to the teachings on emptiness and the teachings on compassion.

¶ 1225 Leave a comment on paragraph 1225 0 [16] Countless eons: This is actually the name of a specific number in Buddhist literature: one to the 60^th power, or 1 followed by 60 zeroes, where this number is then multiplied times an eon of nearly countless millions of years.

¶ 1226 Leave a comment on paragraph 1226 0 [17] Four kinds of activities: A traditional list of the possible comportment of a holy being: standing, sitting, sleeping, or walking.

¶ 1227 Leave a comment on paragraph 1227 0 [18] In the way of matchless beings: The quoted line appears at f. 3a of the commentary to the sutra called What I Really Meant written by Master Bodhi Irddhi (a reconstruction of the Tibetan, Byang-chub rdzu-‘phrul) (%S6, TD04358).

¶ 1228 Leave a comment on paragraph 1228 0 [19] “Donning”: Our Tibetan translation of the sutra here has gsol rather than mnab, but they evidently refer to the same thing.

¶ 1229 Leave a comment on paragraph 1229 0 [20] The Pure One: A reference to Brahma, a worldly deity who has been born into a temporary paradise because of extremely deep, but worldly, meditation.

¶ 1230 Leave a comment on paragraph 1230 0 [21] Body never tires: See f. 12b of the work (%S7, KL00238).

¶ 1231 Leave a comment on paragraph 1231 0 [22] Traditional practices of a monk: These are traditionally listed as twelve; a nice introduction to them may be found in the classic String of Shining Jewels, written by Geshe Tsewang Samdrup (fl. 1835), a tutor of His Holiness the Tenth Dalai Lama.  Here is a simplified list (see ff. 34a-35b, %B@, S00201):

¶ 1232 Leave a comment on paragraph 1232 0 (1) Begging for ones daily food

¶ 1233 Leave a comment on paragraph 1233 0 (2) Eating this food only once per day

¶ 1234 Leave a comment on paragraph 1234 0 (3) Eating this food only in a single, uninterrupted sitting

¶ 1235 Leave a comment on paragraph 1235 0 (4) Wearing only the three religious robes

¶ 1236 Leave a comment on paragraph 1236 0 (5) Wearing robes only of inexpensive material (in Tibet, wool).

¶ 1237 Leave a comment on paragraph 1237 0 (6) Wearing robes only of used or discarded cloth, dyed the proper color

¶ 1238 Leave a comment on paragraph 1238 0 (7) Staying only in cloisters located well away from a population center

¶ 1239 Leave a comment on paragraph 1239 0 (8) Making as ones “bedroom” the ground at the base of a tree

¶ 1240 Leave a comment on paragraph 1240 0 (9) Living there under the open sky

¶ 1241 Leave a comment on paragraph 1241 0 (10) Never sleeping excessively; and, when sitting, always in an

¶ 1242 Leave a comment on paragraph 1242 0 unsupported meditation posture

¶ 1243 Leave a comment on paragraph 1243 0 (11) Using food, clothing, utensils, and bedding which have been discarded

¶ 1244 Leave a comment on paragraph 1244 0 in a charnel ground

¶ 1245 Leave a comment on paragraph 1245 0 (12) Making ones mattress only from piles of grass or leaves

¶ 1246 Leave a comment on paragraph 1246 0 It should be noted of course that the twelve elements of this extreme lifestyle were something appropriate to adepts in the cultural setting of ancient India; and that their application and modification to modern times should be accomplished only under the guidance of a qualified spiritual teacher.

¶ 1247 Leave a comment on paragraph 1247 0 [23] The two ways in which nothing is itself: A classical distinction of the emptiness of things into the emptiness of people, and the emptiness of “things” in the sense of the parts which make up those people.

¶ 1248 Leave a comment on paragraph 1248 0 [24] He is as well an arhat: The two options here rely upon different readings of the Sanksrit word arhat.  The first reflects the Sanskrit verbal root /arh, which means to be worthy.  The second combines ari, a Sanskrit word for enemy, with the verbal root /han, meaning to strike.  The English word gun, and the Sanskrit for “non-violence,” ahinsa, come from the same root.

¶ 1249 Leave a comment on paragraph 1249 0 [25] Levels of purity: A Buddhist technical term for last three of the ten bodhisattva levels—a point at which the bodhisattva is making strong progress in eliminating the obstacles to omniscience.

¶ 1250 Leave a comment on paragraph 1250 0 [26] A listener or a self-made buddha: Referring to tracks lower than that of the bodhisattva.  Listeners have been treated above; self-made buddhas are seeking a personal nirvana and—because they have studied under countless mentors in their past lives—they reach this state in this life due primarily to their own personal effort.

¶ 1251 Leave a comment on paragraph 1251 0 [27] Deepest of all objects: A Buddhist technical term referring to emptiness.

¶ 1252 Leave a comment on paragraph 1252 0 [28] Three paths: The “path of preparation” is a point in our spiritual progress when we achieve a strong intellectual grasp of emptiness; this provides preparation for the later, direct perception.

¶ 1253 Leave a comment on paragraph 1253 0 The other two paths mentioned are not standard terms.  The first most likely refers to a spontaneous perception of emptiness; see for example f. 502b of the second volume of The Great Book on the Steps of the Teaching, the extraordinary model for Je Tsongkapa’s Great Book on the Steps of the Path composed by Geshe Drolungpa Lodru Jungne (c. 1100ad) (%B4, S00070).

¶ 1254 Leave a comment on paragraph 1254 0 The latter appears only in the commentary, cited above in footnote 18, to What I Really Meant composed by Master Bodhi Irddhi (%S6, TD04358).  Here it refers to wasting our life by chasing after material things, which we also perceive as “real.”