༄༅། །ང་ ་ལ།

The Strength of the Elephant

Hastikakṣya
 ང་ ་ལ་ས་་བ་ག་པ་ན་ ་མ།
glang po’i rtsal zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo

The Great Vehicle Sūtra “The Strength of the Elephant”

Hastikakṣyanāmamahāyānasūtra

· Toh 207 ·
Degé Kangyur, vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha), folios 95.a–109.b
 Translated by the Buddhavacana Translation Group
under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

First published 2020

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co. TABLE OF CONTENTS
ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
· Setting and Storyline
· Key Doctrines in the Discourse
· Source Texts
· Remarks on the Title
· Relevant Academic Research
tr. The Translation
1. The Strength of the Elephant
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
g. Glossary
s. SUMMARY
s.1 This sūtra contains a Dharma discourse on the profound insight into the
emptiness of all phenomena, also known as transcendent insight. Following
a short teaching in verse by Śāriputra, the Buddha delivers the primary
discourse at the behest of Ānanda and Mañjuśrī amid a vast assembly of
monks, bodhisattvas, and lay devotees. He specifically addresses hearers
and so-called “outcast bodhisattvas” who have not realized transcendent
insight and who thus remain attached to phenomenal appearances.
Responding to a series of questions posed by Mañjuśrī and Śāriputra, the
Buddha explains that all phenomena are as empty as space, with nothing to
be either affirmed or rejected. Yet that very emptiness is what makes
everything possible, including the bodhisattvas’ altruistic activities.
ac. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ac.1 Translation by the Buddhavacana Translation Group. Translated from the
Tibetan of the Degé Kangyur by Gregory Forgues in collaboration with
Dennis Johnson and Khenpo Konchok Tamphel. The English was edited by
Casey Kemp.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.
i. INTRODUCTION
· Setting and Storyline ·

i.1 The Strength of the Elephant is set on Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain where the Buddha
presides over a large assembly of monks and bodhisattvas. One afternoon,
after the Buddha is addressed by Śāradvatīputra with a brief discourse on
the empty nature of all phenomena, he convenes a large audience of monks,
bodhisattvas, and people from the city of Rājagṛha to share Śāradvatīputra’s
insight. The Buddha proceeds to inform Mañjuśrī and the others that
previous buddhas have also taught this Dharma discourse on transcendent
insight, which is “like the strength of the elephant,” on Gṛdhrakūṭa
Mountain, the very place where their assembly is gathered. At the request of
Ānanda, the Buddha gives a series of teachings, in the form of replies to
questions posed by Mañjuśrī, that concern the most beneficial, though often
counterintuitive, forms of knowledge and activities characteristic of
bodhisattvas who have realized emptiness.
i.2 A number of “arrogant monks” in the assembly, however, misunderstand
the Tathāgata’s teaching and the Buddha is asked to clarify the intentions
behind this discourse. Upon hearing his explanations, realization dawns in
the minds of the various listeners and the monks affirm their new
understanding. Mañjuśrī then inquires into the training in transcendent
insight and the Buddha responds with a concluding teaching on the value
and efficacy of this Dharma discourse. He describes twenty laudable
qualities that are possessed by those who have faith in it. He also recounts
how in a previous lifetime he himself became accomplished in it. The Buddha
then gives instructions on the practices of bodhisattvas who wish to realize
this profound insight. In the end, the Buddha commands Ānanda to
remember it, and everybody rejoices and praises the Buddha’s words.

· Key Doctrines in the Discourse ·

i.3 The illusory nature of phenomena.
The sūtra repeatedly draws attention to the empty and thus illusory nature
of all phenomena, which includes everything from sensory appearances up
to central Buddhist conceptions such as the six perfections, monastic
discipline, morality, merit, and even the Buddha himself. The realization of
this empty and illusory nature of all phenomena is transcendent insight,
which allows one to rest naturally in a state of absorption. Phenomena as
well as transcendent insight are said to be like space: “Space is not
something to be realized, nor is it something to be abandoned. Likewise, no
phenomenon is something to be realized or abandoned.” Because of this
empty nature of phenomena, all conceptions about them as substantial or
real are completely mistaken. To realize this is to correctly understand
emptiness.

i.4 The unity of the bodhisattva’s insight and skillful means.

Bodhisattvas accomplish a wide range of compassionate activities without
departing from the profound insight of emptiness, which is transcendent
insight. In this way, bodhisattvas are able to compassionately engage in the
different realms of beings without disregarding their empty nature. Through
such practices as samādhi or dhāraṇī recitation, they are able to go to
buddhafields without actually coming or going and are able to speak
different languages without mixing them up.

i.5 Transcendent insight.

This sūtra emphasizes that transcendent insight and the illusory nature of
phenomena are difficult to understand for ordinary beings, hearers, solitary
realizers, and bodhisattvas who cling to phenomenal appearances. Those
who are unaware of the Tathāgata’s intention behind this teaching are in
danger of completely misunderstanding him. The upshot of this observation
is that all conceptions, even that concerning the Tathāgata, are false, and
thus all views are mistaken. This applies not only to metaphysical views of a
self, a being, a soul, and a person, but to conceptions such as “me” or “mine”
and preconceptions such as Buddha, Dharma, and Saṇgha.

i.6 Outcast bodhisattvas.

One noteworthy feature of this sūtra is its outspoken condemnation of the
shortcomings of “outcast bodhisattvas.” Such bodhisattvas are practitioners
who reside in remote places but have failed to realize transcendent insight
and remain attached to their disciplined practices. Those outcast
bodhisattvas will consequently look down on other bodhisattvas who dwell
near a village or town. Such passages may be understood as a criticism
targeting “the susceptibility of forest monks to pride and conceit,”1 which
accords with the Buddha’s chastisement of “arrogant monks” in this sūtra.
 · Source Texts ·

i.7 There is to our knowledge no extant complete Sanskrit version of the Hasti-
kakṣyasūtra. Apart from fragments of Khotanese and Sanskrit versions of the
text, the complete text is extant only in Tibetan and Chinese translations.2
The Hastikakṣyasūtra was translated into Chinese by Dharmarakṣa in the third
century and by Dharmamitra in the fifth century (Taishō 813 and 814
respectively). The text is found in Kangyur collections of different periods
and is also recorded in the Denkarma3 and Phangthangma4 catalogs of
Tibetan imperial translations. Thus it appears that it was first translated from
Sanskrit into Tibetan by an unknown translator no later than the early ninth
century, as the Denkarma is dated to 812 ᴄᴇ. The Tibetan translations do not
mention the names of the translators.5 According to the findings of Liu and
Chen, the earliest Chinese and the Sanskrit versions share an earlier source
text, while the later Chinese and the Tibetan and Khotanese versions share a
later source text.6 This English translation was prepared based on the
Tibetan translation in the Degé Kangyur in consultation with the
Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace Kangyur.
i.8 There are a number of references to the Hastikakṣyasūtra in Buddhist
canonical literature. The Hastikakṣyasūtra is referred to in chapter six of the
Sikṣasamuccaya and it is cited by Kamalaśīla in his Sarvadharmāsvabhāvasiddhi
(Toh 3889) as well as in the tantric work Mahāyānamelāyanapradīpa (Toh 3720).
A verse ascribed to the Hastikakṣyasūtra is cited by Candrakīrti in his Mūla-
madhyamakavṛttiprasannapadā (Toh 3860) and Bodhisattvayogācāracatuḥśatakaṭīkā
(Toh 3865) commentaries, but, notably, the verse is not found in any versions
of the sūtra contained in the Kangyur.7 This “missing” citation, as well as
numerous other passages that are found in the Kangyur versions of this
sūtra, have been widely quoted by indigenous Tibetan scholars. The Hasti-
kakṣyasūtra is also cited a number of times in the Chinese Buddhist canon,
which suggests that it may have once been an important Mahāyāna text that
circulated throughout regions of Central and East Asia.8

· Remarks on the Title ·

i.9 Since no Sanskrit source text is available, and because of differing

interpretations of the title’s translations that involve certain linguistic
ambiguities, the translation of the sūtra’s title into English needs to be
critically discussed. Liu and Chen’s study9 includes a detailed discussion of
all the variant titles found in the different translations, and their findings are
summarized for the reader in what follows.
i.10 Concerning first of all the Chinese versions, the Catalog of Nie Daozhen
attests the title “The Elephant’s Armpit” (Xiangye or *Hastikakṣa), which also
corresponds to the title of Dharmamitra’s translation. The sūtra contains no
direct reference to the armpit of an elephant, but the title bearing this phrase
is cited widely in medieval Chinese Buddhism because of the popularity of
Dharmamitra’s works.10 Dharmarakṣa’s translation speaks of “The Metaphor
of the Elephant” (Yuxiang or *Hastyupama), which would indicate that the
power of the text is equivalent to the effort of an elephant.11 Also attested
based on his translation is a title that does not make reference to an elephant:
“Without Desire” (Wuxiwang or *Akāṅkṣa). The use of this title, however, is
without sufficient evidence and may be due to a misreading or miscopying,
possibly based on Gāndhārī or Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit written in
Kharoṣṭhī or Brāhmī scripts, resulting in the readings of *Nāstikāṅkṣa or
*Asakāṅkṣa instead of Hastikakṣya.12 A paraphrase of the title as “The Stride of
an Elephant” (Xiangbu, *Hastigati or *Hastivikrama) is found in the translations
of both Dharmarakṣa and Dharmamitra. The Tibetan translation could be
understood in a similar way, since rtsal can mean both “effort” and “stride.”13
i.11 The Tibetan title (glang po’i rtsal) features as an entry in the early ninth
century Sanskrit-Tibetan glossary known as the Mahāvyutpatti (Hastikakṣyam,
Mvyut 1339 in section LIX on dam pa’i chos kyi ming). Csoma de Körös’ textual
edition of the Mahāvyutpatti, which comes with an accompanying English
translation, translates the title as “The Elephant’s Dexterity (or Girth).”14
However, note that in the Mahāvyutpatti, the Denkarma, and the
Phangthangma this is the only instance where kakṣya corresponds to rtsal
and ākrama and vikrama are given as its more usual correspondents, which
would yield Sanskrit forms such as *Hastyākrama or *Hastivikrama. Liu and
Chen thus argue that the sūtra itself may actually be the source for this entry
in the Mahāvyutpatti. They indeed note that glang po’i rtsal “should not be
regarded as a correct interpretation of the Sanskrit word Hastikakṣya.”15
i.12 Turning now to the (Buddhist Hybrid) Sanskrit titles, we can see that
kakṣyā is derived from the Vedic kakṣa, which indeed has the meaning of
“armpit.” Based on a reading in the Sanskrit manuscript and considering the
primitive form Hastikakṣa, Liu and Chen reconstruct the sūtra’s title in its
Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit form as *Hastikaccha, which later was sanskritized
into Hastikakṣya. Liu and Chen note the following: “We have the
contemporaneous appearance of three titles: Yuxiang (*Hastyupama) and
Wuxiwang (*Nāstikāṅkṣa, *Akāṅkṣa or *Asakāṅkṣa) in Taishō 813 and, according
to the Catalogue, a Xiangbu (*Hastigati or *Hastivikrama). Then after more than
a century, we have Xiangye (Hastikakṣa or Hastikaccha in its BHS form,
Hastikakṣya in its developed Skt. form) in Taishō 814, with its Sanskrit
correspondence, Hastikaccha, in the Sanskrit fragment and Hastikakṣya in the
 Tibetan translation. Finally, the word Hastikakṣya is transmitted into glang po’i
rtsal and glang po’i rtsal lta bu (*Hastikakṣyopama) in Tibetan.”16 They then
conclude that “with the exception of Wuxiwang, all the others can possibly be
affiliated with a Sanskritization process from Middle Indic via Gāndhārī or
BHS.”17 As a nominal compound, Hastikakṣya is clearly a genitive tatpuruṣa or
dependent determinative compound. According to Monier-Williams’s
Sanskrit dictionary, the compound hastikakṣya may have the meaning of
“lion” or “tiger.”18 Next, let us look at the individual members of the
compound: hasti and kakṣya. Hasti stands in the compound for hastin, which
can clearly be established as meaning “elephant.” The second member,
kakṣya, however, has a whole range of possible meanings. Monier-Williams
notes them as “abiding in shrubs or dry grass,” “well fed,” “girth (of an
animal),” “the enclosure of an edifice,” “similarity,” and “effort, exertion.”
The Tibetan translation of this member (rtsal) carries similar meanings, but
tends more toward meanings such as “skill,” “dexterity,” “potency,”
“capacity,” “potential,” or “power.”
i.13 Unfortunately, the sūtra itself does not give any really convincing pointers
to the correct interpretation of its title, since references to both elephants
(hasti) and their supposed strength (kakṣya) are few. Toward the beginning of
the sūtra, Śāradvatīputra declines the Buddha’s initial request to assemble
the monks and bodhisattvas in the area by stating that “elephants are
difficult to please (mgu ba, ‘satisfy, content, please, convince’).” Toward the
end of the sūtra, the Buddha recounts to Ānanda that “beings who yearn for
this Dharma discourse will be subdued by the strength of the bull or the
strength of the elephant.” Based on these elements, we decided to translate
the title as “The Strength of the Elephant,” although we are aware that
further research would be necessary to validate this reading.

· Relevant Academic Research ·

i.14 Until recently there had been no extensive academic research on the Hasti-
kakṣyasūtra. In the last several years, however, a number of scholars have
authored studies with direct or indirect reference to the sūtra’s contents and
development. Chen (2012) addresses newly identified fragments of a
Khotanese translation of the Hastikakṣyasūtra together with their Chinese
parallels. Liu and Chen (2014) include a translation of a Sanskrit fragment of
the Hastikakṣyasūtra in light of its Chinese and Tibetan parallels as well as a
lengthy discussion of all title variants and their possible Sanskrit
equivalents. Their study looks at the early development of Mahayāna sūtras
and also includes a concordance of the contents found in the different
translations. James Apple (2014) considers the Hastikakṣyasūtra from the
 perspective of his research on the historical developments of entrusted
transmissions of written texts in India after the fourth century. In the
process, he compares the textual differences between the Tibetan translation
and the earlier and later Chinese translations of the Hastikakṣyasūtra.
Regarding the narrative variants of the story of Victory Banner of the Vajra
told by the Buddha toward the end of the sūtra, Apple points out that the
Dharma discourse is passed on as a Dharma scripture in the Tibetan version,
but in the earlier Chinese versions of Dharmarakṣa and Dharmamitra it is
said to be passed on as a mantra or a dhāraṇī respectively.
i.15 Regarding Tibetan mentions of the Hastikakṣyasūtra, Karma Phuntsho19
briefly states that, according to the master Ju Mipham Gyatso, the Hasti-
kakṣyasūtra stands as one of the sūtras teaching the doctrine of mind-only
(sems tsam) understood as the cittamātra taught in canonical scriptures (bka’i
sems tsam) as opposed to cittamātra qua doctrinal system (grub mtha’i sems
tsam).20

The Great Vehicle Sūtra

The Strength of the Elephant
1. The Translation
[F.95.a][F.95.b]

1.1 Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.

1.2 Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was dwelling on Gṛdhrakūṭa
Mountain together with a large saṅgha of monks comprised of five hundred
monks as well as sixty thousand bodhisattvas who were all renowned,21 had
attained the dhāraṇīs, possessed unobstructed eloquence, taught the Dharma
of nonduality, and displayed inconceivable miraculous powers. They
included the bodhisattva great beings Perseverant Beyond Compare and
Wise; Essence of the Splendor of Overwhelming Sound, Blossom of the Four
Jewels; Light Beam of Great Lightning; Seeing Beyond Extremes and
Transcending All Sensory Objects; Lofty Like Mount Meru’s Summit;
Gladdened with Supreme Joy; Light Vanquishing with Undefiled Forces;
Reaching the Far Shore of Definitive Meaning to Fulfill Beings’ Aspirations;
Possessing Vajralike Solidity; Beyond All Utterances, Speech, and Sounds;
Voice More Majestic Than Brahmā’s; Overcoming Fears with Words of
Renown; Accumulation of All Precious Roots of Virtue; and the bodhisattva
great being Youthful Mañjuśrī. These and other such bodhisattvas in
attendance were sixty thousand in number.
1.3 In the afternoon, the venerable Śāradvatīputra, after arising from inner
absorption, approached the Blessed One who at that time was sitting in front
of another tree, immersed in the absorption known as accomplishment of perfect
peace. From afar, the venerable Śāradvatīputra saw the Blessed One, who was
peaceful. He quickly gathered some grass and sat down mindfully to one
side with his legs crossed and back straightened. [F.96.a] As soon as he sat
there, thoughts arose in his mind, such as: “How marvelous are the
Tathāgata’s perfectly peaceful behavior, happiness, and bliss! Happy are the
beings who realize that all phenomena naturally rest in the state of
absorption!”
1.4 The Blessed One, perceiving and understanding this, emerged from his
concentration and made the sound of clearing his throat. Hearing the
Blessed One clear his throat, the venerable Śāradvatīputra became filled with
joy and inspiration, and walked toward where the Blessed One was sitting.
When he arrived in the Blessed One’s presence, he prostrated to him in
amazement and uttered the following verses:

1.5 “In the way I accept that phenomena are empty,

Those who neither conceptualize beings
Nor ever conceptualize phenomena
Remain in the world in absorption.

1.6 “Never ever looking at the confusion of beings,

And considering phenomena to be just like space,
Happy are those who believe in the illusory nature
And do not hold the view of a self.

1.7 “Happy are those who do not focus on any conception,

Such as ‘these are beings’ or ‘these are not beings,’
Who have no conception of any being,
And do not hold the view that there are beings.

1.8 “Happy are those who are not attached to any conception of a substantial
whole,
Who are without the deluded conception of a substantial thing,
Who neither cause things to arise nor to remain,
And who are without the view of a soul.

1.9 “Happy are the wise ones who do not differentiate among beings,
Who do not contradict the domain of truth,
Who eliminate all conceptions of personhood,
And who do not think in terms of dichotomies.

1.10 “Happy are those who always maintain generosity and discipline,
Neither forming the concept of miserliness
Nor fixating on the notion of accumulation,
And who remain free of moral conceit. [F.96.b]

1.11 “Happy are those who excel in the qualities of endurance and
determination,22
Who are free from the notion of conflict,
Who are neither zealous nor lazy,
And who have no preconception concerning patience.
1.12 “Happy are those who are not fixated on concentration and stability,23
And yet do not think about distractions —
Who understand the qualities of meditative equipoise
And have no preconceptions about concentration.

1.13 “Happy are those who are free from preconceptions about anything,
Who have no insight regarding anything and yet are not under the sway of
ignorance,
Who are neither learned nor deluded,
And who have no preconceptions about wisdom.

1.14 “Happy are those who dwell in a city as if in retreat,

Who treat them equally, with similar conceptions of both—
Who do not disparage city life
But also do not idealize retreat.

1.15 “Happy are those practice alms-begging as a householder

Without any preconception about this alms-begging.
Without entertaining thoughts such as ‘I am a mendicant,’
They have no preconceptions about alms-begging.

1.16 “Happy are those who pick up refuse-rags

And wear them on their body.
They do not think ‘I have miserable clothing,’24
And they do not put down others.

1.17 “Happy are those who wear nothing but the three Dharma robes
Approved by the Buddha and praised by the sugatas,
Yet do not think ‘I am fearless,’
And remain without pride.

1.18 “Happy are those who teach the supreme and sacred Dharma
In which there is neither self nor being.
They do not even think ‘I am a master teacher,’
But they also do not amount to nothing.

1.19 “Happy are those who are free from preconceptions regarding any virtue,
Who do not conceive of anything as an essence or a substance,25
Who do not think of anything as virtuous or nonvirtuous,
But who do not behave in a dualistic way.

1.20 “Happy are those who stand but have no preconception about standing,
Who sit but have no preconception about sitting,
Who at all times cultivate diligence as they move about
 And remain without mental elaboration.

1.21 “Happy are those who are free from preconceptions about abiding or non-
abiding,
Who do not conceive of some special knowledge as the state of peace,
[F.97.a]
Who make no distinction between tathāgatas and non-Buddhists,
And who are without assumptions about what is “the best.”

1.22 “Happy are those for whom there is neither number nor enumeration,
Who do not disregard equality that is like the expanse of space,
Who do not think of themselves and others as distinct,
And who have no special achievements.

1.23 “Happy are those who appear as an illusion and behave as if in a dream,
Who resemble optical illusions but are not deluded,
Who are active in the worlds like reflections of the moon in water,
And who do not strive in any way.

1.24 “Happy are the beings who are wise and behold the ultimate,
Who understand that names and conventions have no essence,
Who realize that phenomena are in the state of peace,
And who remain unbound by the range of conceptual signs.”

1.25 Thereupon the Blessed One congratulated the venerable Śāradvatīputra:

“Śāradvatīputra, supreme is this teaching that engages in this way in the
profound wisdom! It is excellent, excellent! Therefore, Śāradvatīputra,
assemble all the monks and bodhisattvas abiding in inner absorption on this
Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain, as many as there may be.”
“Blessed One,” replied Śāradvatīputra, “I would prefer not to do so. Why?
Because elephants are difficult to please.”
1.26 At that very moment, the Blessed One emitted light rays from his body and
he summoned the bodhisattvas abiding in infinite world systems. They
reached the place where the Blessed One was residing on Gṛdhrakūṭa
Mountain and hovered in the sky. All the monks and bodhisattva great
beings who had been abiding in inner absorption also arrived where the
Blessed One was residing, as did hundreds of thousands of beings from the
great city of Rājagṛha.
1.27 Then the Blessed One, knowing that all were present in the assembly,
looked at the face of Youthful Mañjuśrī [F.97.b] and smiled. At that moment,
Youthful Mañjuśrī rose from his seat, draped his robe over one shoulder, and
knelt on his right knee. He bowed in the direction of the Blessed One with
 joined palms and asked him, “As the tathāgatas, the worthy ones, the
complete and perfect buddhas do not smile without causes and conditions,
what are the causes for your smile, what are the conditions for it?”
The Blessed One replied to Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, ten thousand
buddhas have expounded the Dharma discourse known as ‘Like the
Strength of the Elephant’ on this Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain.”
1.28 When the venerable Ānanda heard what the Blessed One had said, he
swiftly rose from his seat, draped his robe over one shoulder, and knelt on
his right knee. He bowed in the direction of the Blessed One with joined
palms and made this request: “Blessed One, it would be excellent if you
could now teach me this Dharma discourse known as ‘Like the Strength of
the Elephant.’ Sugata, it would be excellent if you could explain this to me. It
is rare nowadays to hear a Dharma discourse that would cause you, Blessed
One, to smile upon seeing the face of Youthful Mañjuśrī. Such a Dharma
discourse must be wonderful. It must be as profound as it seems to be.”
1.29 “Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One, “you are indeed skilled in the practice
of discernment and your analysis is excellent, excellent. Therefore, Ānanda,
listen very well and keep this in mind. I will explain it to you.”
“Excellent, Blessed One,” the venerable Ānanda agreed, and he listened
as requested.
1.30 The Blessed One made a sign to Youthful Mañjuśrī in order to have him
make inquiries about this Dharma discourse. Consequently, Mañjuśrī
thought to himself, “I will ask the Tathāgata [F.98.a] what is this profound
discourse that is not within the realm of hearers, solitary realizers, or
bodhisattvas who have fallen into conceptual signs.” After Youthful
Mañjuśrī had reflected upon this, he proposed, “If the Blessed One is giving
me this opportunity to make inquiries so that the questions can be
answered, then I will pose questions on various topics to the Blessed One,
the tathāgata, the worthy one, the complete and perfect Buddha.”
“Since everyone in this assembly has come together, Mañjuśrī, ask
whatever you wish,” the Blessed One replied.
1.31 Mañjuśrī then asked the following: “Blessed One, how do bodhisattvas
accomplish all their activities while also maintaining all virtuous qualities?
How do they both remain in all buddhafields like the moon’s reflections in
water, and also fully ripen countless beings?”
1.32 “Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “your concise and meaningful
questions are excellent, excellent! Listen attentively to this detailed
explanation I will give you and keep it in mind.”
“Blessed One, I will do so,” answered Youthful Mañjuśrī, and he listened
as requested.
1.33 The Blessed One then gave the following reply: “Mañjuśrī, if bodhisattvas
possess six qualities, they will completely accomplish their tasks and also
maintain all virtuous qualities. What are these six? If bodhisattvas practice
generosity, then although they are benefactors who let go of all their
possessions, they do not regard themselves as having completely reversed
miserly behavior. Although they observe discipline, they not consider
themselves as being beyond actions that result from inferior discipline.
Although they possess patience and determination, they do not regard
themselves as being free from behavior based on malicious thoughts. [F.98.b]
Although they cultivate diligence, they do not exert themselves bodily or
mentally. Although they are skilled in all concentrations, liberations,
absorptions, and all meditative states, they are not stuck in a one-pointed
mental state. Although they exist within the domain of insight, they regard
themselves as not being fully liberated from transmigration. Mañjuśrī, if
bodhisattvas possess these six qualities, they completely accomplish their
tasks and also maintain all virtuous qualities.
1.34 “Mañjuśrī, if bodhisattvas possess another six qualities, they can
accomplish their tasks, and also maintain all virtuous qualities. What are
these six? Bodhisattvas assume the state of a hell being while at the same
time experiencing the qualities of the higher realms. They assume the state
of an animal, while at the same time experiencing the great extent of human
qualities. They assume a birth in the lower castes,26 while at the same time
experiencing the pleasures of a cakravartin’s kingdom. They manifest within
all modes of existence, while at the same time experiencing the activities
associated with a specific realm. They are skilled in going to all
buddhafields, while at the same time not moving from their location. They
neither come nor go, and yet appear in all buddhafields like the moon’s
reflections in water. They speak all languages yet do not mix them up.
Mañjuśrī, if bodhisattvas possess these six qualities, they completely
accomplish their activities and also maintain all virtuous qualities.”
1.35 “Blessed One,” Youthful Mañjuśrī inquired, “how do bodhisattvas assume
the state of a hell being while at the same time experiencing the qualities of
the higher realms?”
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, [F.99.a] “bodhisattva great beings
assume the state of a hell being by entering the absorption known as great
lotus, while at the same time experiencing all the joys of the gods, including
the most subtle of them. For their part, hell beings perceive these
bodhisattvas as hell beings because they are themselves hell beings.
Through this appearance, bodhisattvas expound the Dharma to those
denizens of the hell who have the potential to be extricated from the hells.
 They completely liberate many thousands of beings from the hells. Thus,
Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas assume the state of a hell being while at the same
time experiencing the state of the higher realms.”
1.36 “Blessed One,” asked Mañjuśrī, “how do bodhisattvas assume the state of
an animal, while at the same time experiencing the great extent of human
qualities?”
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattvas assume the state of an
animal by entering the absorption known as settling in complete peace, and
without experiencing any impairment to their mental faculties, they
experience the great extent of human qualities. Through this appearance,
they explain the Dharma to beings that have become animals and so
establish many thousands of beings in the Dharma. Thus, Mañjuśrī,
bodhisattvas experience the condition of an animal while at the same time
experiencing the great extent of human qualities.”
1.37 “Blessed One,” asked Mañjuśrī, “how do bodhisattvas embrace a birth in
the lower castes, while at the same time experiencing the pleasures of a
cakravartin’s kingdom?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, in order to do this, bodhisattvas enter
the absorption known as subduing and illuminating. By means of this
absorption, which is conquering and illuminating, they embrace a birth in
the lower castes, while at the same time experiencing the pleasures of a
cakravartin’s kingdom. [F.99.b] Through these skillful means, they establish
many thousands of beings in the Dharma. Thus, Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas
embrace a birth in the lower castes, while at the same time experiencing the
happiness of a cakravartin’s kingdom.”
1.38 “Blessed One,” asked Mañjuśrī, “how do bodhisattvas both manifest
within all modes of existence and also experience the activities of one
specific realm?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, in order to do this, they enter the
absorption known as particular display illuminating the abandonment of all
activities. Abiding in that absorption, they both manifest within all modes of
existence and also experience the activities of one specific realm. In this way,
Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas manifest within all modes of existence while
experiencing a particular realm.”
1.39 “Blessed One,” asked Mañjuśrī, “how do bodhisattvas excel in going to all
buddhafields while at the same time not moving from their location?
Although they neither come nor go, how do they appear in all buddhafields
in the same way the moon is reflected in water?”
The Blessed One replied, “Mañjuśrī, in order to do this, bodhisattvas enter
the absorption known as conquering all forms. Then, abiding in that
absorption, they at once manifest their bodies throughout the world systems
 of the ten directions, without moving from their location, without going or
coming. By remaining in equanimity, they see the Buddha, the Blessed One,
and hear the Dharma. Thus, Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas excel in being reborn in
all buddhafields while at the same time not moving from their location. They
neither come nor go, and yet they appear in all buddhafields in the same
way the moon is reflected in water.”
1.40 Mañjuśrī then asked, “Blessed One, how can bodhisattvas speak all kinds
of languages [F.100.a] and yet not mix them up?”
“Mañjuśrī, replied the Blessed One, “bodhisattvas possess the dhāraṇī
known as infinite recitation. As a result of that, they can engage with the
infinite thoughts of the minds of beings, understand infinite languages, and
comprehend infinite individual ways of being. By possessing this dhāraṇī,
they both speak all languages and also do not mix them up. Thus, Mañjuśrī,
bodhisattvas speak all languages and yet do not mix them up.”

1.41 Mañjuśrī then inquired further: “Blessed One, the bodhisattvas’ skillful
means are difficult to manifest. Nonetheless, Blessed One, how should this
Dharma discourse be understood by the bodhisattvas who wish to
understand it?”
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “those bodhisattvas who wish to
understand this Dharma discourse should understand it to be like space.”
1.42 “How is it like space, Blessed One?” asked Mañjuśrī.
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “it may be illustrated as follows:
Space is not desirous, nor angry, nor ignorant. Likewise, no phenomenon is
desirous, angry, or ignorant. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not the
excellence of generosity, and so forth, up to and including the excellence of
insight. Likewise, no phenomenon is the excellence of generosity, and so
forth, up to and including the excellence of insight. It may be illustrated as
follows: Space is not something to be realized, nor is it something to be
abandoned. Likewise, no phenomenon is something to be realized or
abandoned. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not something to be
cultivated, nor is it something to be actualized. Likewise, no phenomenon is
something to be cultivated or actualized. [F.100.b] It may be illustrated as
follows: Space is not obscurity, nor is it light. Likewise, no phenomenon is
obscurity or light. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not something to
be apprehended. Likewise, no phenomenon is something to be
apprehended. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not a destination
attained either through the genuine path or through a bad path. Likewise, no
phenomenon is a destination attained, either through the genuine path or
through a bad path. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not a
destination attained through the Hearers’ Vehicle, the Solitary Realizers’
Vehicle, or the Great Vehicle. Likewise, no phenomenon is a destination
 attained through the Hearers’ Vehicle, the Solitary Realizers’ Vehicle, or the
Great Vehicle. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not an agent that
reflects or knows. Likewise, no phenomenon is an agent that reflects or
knows. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not an agent that accepts or
rejects, nor is it an object to be accepted or rejected. Likewise, no
phenomenon is an agent that accepts or rejects, nor is it an object to be
accepted or rejected. It may be illustrated as follows: Space cannot be defiled
by anything whatsoever. Likewise, no phenomenon belonging to supreme
nirvāṇa can be defiled in any possible way. Thus, it will neither be assuaged
nor pacified. It may be illustrated as follows: Space is not an abode because it
is not abiding, nor does it abide, waver, or vacillate. Likewise, bodhisattvas
should regard each and every phenomenon as abiding in non-abidingness.
Having correct understanding, they do not vacillate, waver, abide, or cause
anything to abide. [F.101.a]
1.43 “Mañjuśrī, since the nature of all phenomena is like this, those who wish
to see the Tathāgata hold a mistaken view. Those who view this as
mistaken27 have correct understanding. For those who have correct
understanding, generosity has neither great result nor great benefit. Those
for whom generosity has neither great result nor great benefit are objects of
generosity in the world. For those who are objects of generosity in the world,
there is no karmic ripening from generosity. Those for whom there is no
karmic ripening from generosity have perfected non-conception. Those who
have perfected non-conception will quickly attain the acceptance that all
phenomena do not arise.”

1.44 As sixty arrogant monks in the assembly heard this teaching, they thought
to themselves, “This is the path of confusion. Even the Tathāgata teaches the
path of confusion. It is as follows: Some non-Buddhists also teach these
words. Since the Tathāgata teaches these words too, his speech is
comparable to those of some non-Buddhists, such as Kaśyapa, Maskari
Gośāliputra, Ajita Keśakambalī, Sañjayi Vairattīputra, Kakuda Kātyāyana,
and Nirgrantha Jñatiputra.”
1.45 The Blessed One read the thoughts of these sixty arrogant monks, and he
remarked to Youthful Mañjuśrī, “Thus, Mañjuśrī, if the Dharma I have
expounded is comparable to what those other non-Buddhists teach, then
those non-Buddhists do not understand the Dharma taught by the
Tathāgata.”
1.46 After the Blessed One had spoken these words, the arrogant monks
became very distressed, depressed, displeased, and dejected. Still not
understanding this Dharma exposition, they rose from their seats and left.
Then the venerable Śāriputra asked these monks, “Venerable ones, where
are you going?” [F.101.b]
 “Venerable Śāriputra,” they answered, “we do not seek this Dharma
exposition.”
1.47 “Venerable ones,” Śāriputra replied, “you should know that the Tathāgata
is teaching in these ways with an intention. Therefore, stay for a while until
you ask the Tathāgata what his intention was when he taught in these
ways.”
1.48 After hearing the venerable Śāriputra’s words, the monks went back to
their seats. At that point, the venerable Śāriputra made this request: “Blessed
One, in order to clarify these monks’ doubts, I beseech you to explain what
the intention of the Tathāgata was when he taught in these ways.”
1.49 “Śāriputra, what do you think?” asked the Blessed One. “Would monks
whose minds are liberated from defilements with no further appropriation
become apprehensive, frightened, or terrified by any sound?”
“No, Blessed One, they would not,” answered Śāriputra. “Monks who see
the truth do not become apprehensive, frightened, or terrified by any sound.
What need is there to mention those monks whose minds are liberated from
defilements with no further appropriation!”
1.50 “Śāriputra,” continued the Blessed One, “in the present case, some foolish
persons have investigated unreal phenomena and have become and remain
exceedingly proud.”

1.51 Śāriputra then made this request: “I beseech the Blessed One to expound a
teaching that, when heard, will remove the doubts of all those present in this
assembly.”
1.52 “Śāriputra,” said the Blessed One, “those who see the Tathāgata as a
dream and an illusion see him truly. Those who truly see him do not
conceive of the Tathāgata in terms of truth, essence, substance, a real entity,
or a partless whole. Those who do not conceive of the Tathāgata in terms of
truth, essence, substance, a real entity, or a partless whole regard all
constructs as false. [F.102.a] Those who see all constructs as false know all
phenomena to be mistaken. The Tathāgata has taught that all those who
know every phenomenon to be mistaken have perfected the view of
mistakenness. They also understand that all those who have resorted to
views are mistaken. This is why some are referred to as holding a mistaken
view. Śāriputra, according to this discourse, those who wish to view the
Tathāgata are referred to as holding a mistaken view. Śāriputra, some view
the Tathāgata’s body unerringly. But those who understand the Tathāgata’s
body as mistaken have no conception of the Tathāgata. Śāriputra, those who
know this to be mistaken see the Tathāgata.”
1.53 “Blessed One, how have those who view this as mistaken correctly
understood?” asked Śāriputra.
 The Blessed One replied, “Śāriputra, ordinary beings discriminate and
conceptualize, examine and analyze, reveal and thoroughly reveal, rely and
dwell, accept and reject. They embrace the view of a self, a being, a life, and a
person, and they cling to the belief in ‘I’ and are attached to the belief in
‘mine.’ They conceive their conduct, knowledge, movements, and conceptual
elaborations along these lines. They understand these things, which do not
actually exist, in just this way. Śāriputra, the word nonexistent is a designation
for what is unreal. That which is unreal is a lie. The word lie is a designation
for what is false. Those who see how mistaken are those beings who believe
in the unreal are said to have discerned reality. Śāriputra, according to this
very explanation, those who see this as wrong have correct understanding.”
1.54 “Blessed One,” Śāriputra asked, “in what way do those with correct
understanding neither reap great result nor receive great benefit when they
are generous?” [F.102.b]
“Śāriputra,” replied the Blessed One, “for those who have correct
understanding through this approach, generosity is directed toward nirvāṇa.
It flows and has flowed into nirvāṇa, and it will culminate in nirvāṇa.
However, nirvāṇa is neither a small nor a great result, neither a small nor a
great benefit. Why? Because nirvāṇa is free from all results and is therefore
neither a designation nor an object of designation.”
1.55 “Well then, Blessed One,” asked Śāriputra, “how did the Tathāgata teach
the particular advantages of infinite virtuous qualities with respect to
nirvāṇa that does not exist for designation?”
“Śāriputra,” replied the Blessed One, “the Tathāgata taught particular
advantages of infinite virtuous qualities with respect to nirvāṇa, even
though it does not exist for designation, in order to inspire beings subject to
the world of birth who assert selfhood, beings, life forms, and persons.
However, Śāriputra, one should not consider noble beings to be those who
engage in generosity, but rather those who are free from attachment and
who turn away from generosity. Śāriputra, it may be illustrated as follows:
When farmers have planted barley seeds in a field, husks, stalks, and leaves
are produced from the barley. In that case, Śāriputra, do you think that the
husks, stalks, and leaves are the fruits produced by the actions of those
farmers?”
“No, Blessed One, I do not,” Śāriputra replied.
1.56 “Śāriputra,” continued the Blessed One, “it may be illustrated as follows: It
is on account of the barley itself—namely, those barley seeds planted by the
farmers —that the husks, stalks, and leaves are produced, as well as other
ears of barley. Likewise, when noble beings practice generosity, great
resources come to them with little difficulty. In addition, all fruits resulting
from craving for the exhaustion of afflictions wither. [F.103.a] It may be
 illustrated as follows: Those who want barley think, ‘This is not the fruits of
these barely seeds, nor is this the ears of barley produced by those seeds.’ As
a consequence, they are neither pleased by the husks nor delighted by the
stalks and leaves. Likewise, it should not be taught that practicing
generosity in the field of the unconditioned gives a result that is conditioned.
Śāriputra, according to this discourse, generosity brings neither great result
nor great benefit for those who have correct understanding.”
1.57 “Blessed One,” asked Śāriputra, “how can those noble beings be objects of
generosity in the world when their generosity yields neither great result nor
great benefit?”
“Śāriputra,” replied the Blessed One, “generosity will not arise for those
who do not conceive of results as great or small. Those for whom generosity
does not arise will become objects of generosity in the world with its gods. In
that case, Śāriputra, the practice of generosity in the inexhaustible field of
generosity neither becomes a flower nor turns into a fruit. Thus, according to
this discourse, Śāriputra, those for whom there is neither a great result nor a
great benefit when they are generous are objects of generosity in the world.”
1.58 “Blessed One, why does generosity not ripen for those who are objects of
generosity in the world?” asked Śāriputra.
“What do you think, Śāriputra?” the Blessed One asked in return. “Is the
generosity that culminates in nirvāṇa subject to karmic ripening?”
1.59 “No, Blessed One, it is not,” Śāriputra replied. “Blessed One, if the
generosity that culminates in nirvāṇa were subject to karmic ripening, noble
beings would not be distinguished as being unconditioned.”
“Excellent, Śāriputra, excellent,” said the Blessed One. “According to this
discourse, generosity does not entail karmic ripening for those who are
objects of generosity in the world.”
1.60 Śāriputra then asked, “Blessed One, how have those for whom generosity
does not ripen perfected non-conception?” [F.103.b]
“What do you think, Śāriputra?” the Blessed One asked in return. “Do
those who know the very nature of all phenomena exist? Or, do they not
exist?”
1.61 “Blessed One,” answered Śāriputra, “those who understand the very
nature of all phenomena understand the very nature of illusions. Blessed
One, this nature is nonexistent. It does not exist. Why? Blessed One, you
taught that all phenomena have an illusory nature. That which is like an
illusion is nonexistent. Those who understand the very nature of all
phenomena have no conceptions. Why? Because nothing, no actual
phenomenon whatsoever, is perceived by them.”
1.62 “Excellent, Śāriputra, excellent,” said the Blessed One. “It is just like that.
Śāriputra, if some phenomena were substantially or truly existent, beings
would not attain nirvāṇa, even in the future. Śāriputra, it is precisely because
all phenomena are unreal, nonexistent, and insubstantial that beings as
numerous as the grains of sand in the river Ganges have attained nirvāṇa.
Yet, because beings do not exist, there is nothing at all related to those
beings that is brought to an end. Therefore, Śāriputra, whoever neither
apprehends the conception of the nonexistence of all beings, nor the beings
themselves, has perfected non-conception. Śāriputra, according to this
discourse, those for whom there is no ripening of generosity have perfected
non-conception.”
1.63 “Blessed One,” asked Śāriputra, “how will they swiftly accept the non-
arising of all phenomena through this conception of having perfected non-
conception?”
“Śāriputra,” replied the Blessed One, “those who have directly realized
nonexistence understand this. But what is nonexistence? The term
nonexistence pertains to the metaphysical views of self, beings, life force, and
persons, as well as the views of nihilism and eternalism. The term
nonexistence pertains to the conceptions of Buddha, Dharma, Saṅgha, and
nirvāṇa. [F.104.a] No matter how much one applies one’s mind, practices,
understands, acts, or speculates, all this is nonexistent. Therefore, Śāriputra,
those who are in this way completely free from such incorrect reifications
understand. According to this discourse, Śāriputra, those who have
perfected non-conception will quickly accept that all phenomena do not
arise.”

1.64 When this exposition of the teaching was being presented, forty-two
thousand bodhisattvas accepted that all phenomena do not arise. Six
thousand male lay vow holders set their minds on unsurpassable, complete,
and perfect awakening. Thirty-six thousand sons of the gods gained the
realization of wisdom. As for the sixty exceedingly proud monks, their minds
became liberated from defilements with no further appropriation.
1.65 With minds free from defilements, these sixty arrogant monks spoke the
following words in unison: “Blessed One, from this day forth, we shall
become renunciants who follow the six teachers. From this day forth, our
teacher is no longer the Buddha and we shall rely neither on the Dharma nor
on the Saṅgha. From this day forth, we shall be proponents of the
nonexistence of action, causation, karma, karmic ripening, and moral
conduct.”
1.66 At that moment, several thousand beings in the assembly thought to
themselves, “These monks have thus become proponents of such untruths!
Will they now give up the precepts they received from the Blessed One and
 take up the traits of the non-Buddhists?”
1.67 The venerable Śāriputra clairvoyantly understood what those beings in
the retinue were thinking. Therefore, he asked the monks, “Venerable ones,
what was your intention when you said, ‘From this day forth, we shall
become renunciants who follow the six teachers’?”
“Venerable Śāriputra,” answered the monks, “from this day forth, we
perceive all our teachers as identical to the six teachers, as being of a single
character, without any difference. [F.104.b] Perceiving all teachers as
undifferentiated, we are renunciants following renunciants without
conceptualizing.”
1.68 Śāriputra then asked, “What was your intention when you said, ‘From this
day forth, our teacher is no longer the Buddha’?”
“From this day forth,” they answered, “we will rely on ourselves, but not
on others. We will take refuge in ourselves, but not in others. We are our own
teachers and no one else is. Therefore, from this day forth, our teacher is no
longer the Buddha. Why? Aside from oneself, there is no buddha. Aside from
a buddha, there is no self.”
1.69 Śāriputra then asked, “What was your intention when you said, ‘From this
day forth, we shall rely neither on the Dharma nor on the Saṅgha’?”
“From this day forth,” they answered, “we do not perceive any
phenomenon whatsoever that anyone should rely upon or conform to.
Therefore, from this day forth, we shall rely neither on the Dharma nor on the
Saṅgha.”
1.70 Śāriputra then asked, “What was your intention when you said, ‘From this
day forth, we shall be proponents of the nonexistence of action’?”
“From this day forth,” they answered, “we know that all phenomena are
unproduced. We have realized that phenomena undergo no production or
change anywhere. Therefore, from this day forth, we are proponents of the
nonexistence of action.”
1.71 Śāriputra then asked, “What was your intention when you said, ‘From this
day forth, we shall be proponents of the nonexistence of causation’?”
“For us,” they answered, “the cause of birth in all destinies of cyclic
existence has ended today. We have realized that phenomena are without
any causes and conditions anywhere. Therefore, from this day forth, we are
proponents of the nonexistence of causation.”
1.72 Śāriputra then asked, “What was your intention when you said, ‘From this
day forth, we are proponents of the nonexistence of karmic ripening’?”
“From this day forth,” they answered, “we perfectly understand that all
phenomena are without any karma nor karmic ripening anywhere and
completely beyond suffering. Therefore, from this day forth, we are
proponents of the nonexistence of karmic ripening.”
1.73 Śāriputra then asked, “Venerable ones, what was your intention when you
said, ‘From this day forth, we are proponents of the nonexistence of moral
discipline’?” [F.105.a]
“Venerable Śāriputra,” they answered, “from this day forth, we perfectly
understand the fact that there is neither moral discipline, nor discourses on
it, nor non-discipline, and that all phenomena are utterly disciplined.
Therefore, from this day forth, we are proponents of the nonexistence of
moral discipline.”
1.74 Having thus heard this teaching regarding these arrogant monks, the
minds of three thousand six hundred other monks were liberated from
defilements with no further appropriation. Then the Blessed One said to
them, “Excellent! Monks, that which is devoid of the realization of any
phenomenon is the attainment of truth. Thus, it is excellent, excellent.”

1.75 Then Youthful Mañjuśrī asked, “Blessed One, what phenomena are
designated by that realization termed ‘realization of realization’?”
“Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One, “that term ‘realization of realization’
is a designation for the acceptance that all phenomena do not arise.”
1.76 “How should those bodhisattvas, who seek to attain the acceptance that
all phenomena do not arise, train, conduct themselves, and engage in
practice?” asked Mañjuśrī.
At that time the Blessed One uttered the following verses in order to
explain to Youthful Mañjuśrī the training in accepting that all phenomena do
not arise:

1.77 “Those who wish to obtain the wisdom of the Buddha,

The unsurpassed omniscience,
Should neither take up
Nor cast away any phenomenon.

1.78 “One does not discover any phenomena at all

That come into being.
Yet childish people accept these phenomena as arising,
Although they are devoid of arising.

1.79 “When beings are taught that phenomena

Are to be understood and rejected,
Childish people who experience arising
Will not have faith in non-arising.

1.80 “Having abandoned the noble path to awakening

And the teachings pertaining to the path,
Childish people cling to duality
 And do not understand nonduality.

1.81 “In myriad illusions,

Childish people perceive distinctions [F.105.b]
Where there are none,
For all these illusions are of a single character.

1.82 “Those who are called ‘ordinary beings’

And the skillful buddhas of the world systems
Are not two and are not separable into two.
They are the same in their illusory character.

1.83 “Some childish people say,

‘One day our attachment will end,
And our hatred and ignorance will be pacified;
One day there will be no afflictions.’

1.84 “For those who have taught emptiness

In order to annihilate the attachment and hatred
That conceive of the nonexistent as existent,
Their exhaustion is nirvāṇa.

1.85 “Nirvāṇa is perfectly taught

As being without cessation or arising.
Yet far from my teaching are those
Who strive for something unceasing or unarisen.

1.86 “Those who delight in conceptions

Of generosity, moral conduct, and awakening
Remain within the domain of phenomenal appearances,
And therefore do not realize my awakening.

1.87 “Childish people deluded about nonexistence

Do not understand that phenomena are hollow,
And thus they establish distinctions
Regarding phenomena that are of a single character.

1.88 “For those who understand these phenomena,

Devoid of phenomenal appearance by nature,
Just as a hand consists of five fingers,
It will not be difficult to attain awakening.

1.89 “Awakening is far from no one.

Awakening is close to no one.
But far from awakening are those
 Immersed in discursive and dichotomous thought.

1.90 “Since childish people denigrate each other

When they get involved with one another,
They lack self-discipline.
Those who lack self-discipline are not tamed.

1.91 “Phenomena are like dreams

And all conditioned things are unreal.
Considering arising as an illusion,
The wise do not grasp them as something essential.

1.92 “In truth, they have no discipline,

And yet they truly have no lack of discipline.
Since phenomena are dependently arisen,
They do not have a self.

1.93 “Throughout a million eons,

The Guide tirelessly practiced generosity
And maintained supreme and stainless discipline.
Yet he never proclaimed a self.

1.94 “It is taught that awakening has been attained

When one is free from any conception about oneself,
And when all conceptions of generosity,
As well as discursive thought, have been abandoned.

1.95 “It is taught that through generosity one will become resourceful, [F.106.a]
And through discipline one will be reborn in the higher realms.
However, not observing the slightest thing anywhere
Is the unsurpassable awakening.

1.96 “Childish people fixate on their perceptions:

‘I have attained the acceptance that phenomena
Do not arise and are not conditioned.’
Such is the way unskilled people think.

1.97 “Yet, even if they strive for ten million eons,

This acceptance is difficult to attain
For those who believe that those phenomena,
Devoid of arising, do arise.

1.98 “Phenomena are designated with names,

But phenomena are beyond production.
Devoid of root and foundation,
 They all have the character of space.

1.99 “Even if many tens of millions of buddhas expounded

The supremely pure teaching
On abandoning attachment and hatred,
The teachings would still never come to an end.

1.100 “If these phenomena were real,

They could all really come to an end.
But since they are not real,
An endpoint is never found.

1.101 “Endless are attachment and hatred,

And so too is delusion.
Devoid of a root are those things
That are devoid of an end.

1.102 “If there are neither seeds nor sprouts,

How can leaves and fruits originate?
In the same way, that which has no leaves,
Has no flowers.

1.103 “Within the non-arising of phenomena,

The seeds of beings cannot be found.
Since there are no seeds of beings,
There is no arising and no nirvāṇa.

1.104 “Barren women

Have no children.
Thus, if they have no children,
They are free from sorrow regarding those children!

1.105 “Likewise, those wandering in saṃsāra

Who realize and understand
That all phenomena are devoid of arising
Are free from fear of suffering.

1.106 “Childish people are deluded by nonexistence

And therefore do not recognize the nature of phenomena.
Encumbered by space as if it were a burden,
Weary will be those who are unwise!

1.107 “But free from sorrow

Are those who know phenomena
As nonexistent, endless,
 Innumerable, and measureless.

1.108 “I have taught that all limits in the sense of a beginning

Or an ending are nonexistent.
Likewise, all limits, such as an ending
Or a middle, are of a single character.

1.109 “Limits resulting from conceptual thought are devoid of limit.

Thus, limits are fictitious and nonexistent.
If all things have been understood in this way,
There will never be two separate entities. [F.106.b]

1.110 “Because limits have the character of space,

The limits of beings are inconceivable.
Because limits are like sensory distortions,
One does not realize wisdom.

1.111 “If one engages in discursive thought,

How will negativity ever end?
One will likewise fancy,
‘One day I will become a buddha.’

1.112 “Since buddhas are unborn,

For them there is no arising.
And yet, childish people accept phenomena
That do not arise, as arising.

1.113 “One cannot take space as a foundation,

Or abide in, or settle in space.
Space is without abiding,
Obstruction, or substance.

1.114 “Just as space is not a substantial thing,

So too should we understand awakening.
Just as we should understand awakening,
So too should we understand the world.

1.115 “Identical are the expanse of space,

Awakening, and the constitutions of beings.
For those who know these to be equal,
Awakening is easy to attain.

1.116 “For those who neither strive for awakening,

Nor direct their mind in the appropriate way,
Nor analyze phenomena,
 Awakening is easy to attain.

1.117 “Awakening cannot be analyzed.

However much one analyzes,
One can never realize unsurpassable awakening
Through the achievements of mind.

1.118 “When one thinks that awakening is attained through generosity,

There is no attainment of awakening at all,
Whether there is a generous intention or any other intention.
Nonattainment is the supreme awakening!

1.119 “Those who are fixated on having a disciplined mind,

Who conceive of diligence as truth itself
And become engaged in conceptions,
Do not practice my teaching.

1.120 “I have given instructions about the practice

Without attachments to any phenomena.
That which is free from the slightest undertaking
Is the unsurpassable practice.

1.121 “Mistaken are the thoughts

Of those who think:
‘These phenomena are undefiled’
Or ‘Those phenomena are defiled.’

1.122 “But unsurpassed is the insight of those

Who regard phenomena as inconceivable,
As being similar to space,
And who are neither bound nor liberated.

1.123 “Conceiving of anyone as having discipline

Or lacking discipline
Are both explained as inferior discipline. [F.107.a]
That which is nondual is supreme discipline.

1.124 “Thus, those who perceive and understand phenomena

As indistinguishable,
Without differences or defining characteristics,
Uphold my teaching.

1.125 “Those whose minds are like space

Proceed in the direction of nonattachment.
Likewise, perfect is the virtuous endeavor
 Of those free from attachment to wisdom.

1.126 “Awakening is not hard to attain

For those who do not analyze the slightest thing,
Without any kind of deliberation
And no ideas of beings or phenomena.

1.127 “Awakening is not hard to attain

For those who are not confined to the limits of attachment,
Yet are also not separating from attachment
Or trying to gain victory over attachment.

1.128 “Awakening is not hard to attain

For those who never lose courage throughout the eons,
And who neither become afraid of limits,
Nor terrified of saṃsāra.”

1.129 After the Blessed One had uttered these verses, he said to Youthful
Mañjuśrī, “Mañjuśrī, twenty laudable qualities will certainly be possessed
by those who have faith in this Dharma discourse, do not doubt it, do not
question it, but transmit it, memorize it, recite it, accomplish it, and also
correctly teach it in detail to others.
1.130 “What are these twenty qualities? (1) They will be protected by the gods,
(2) the nāgas, (3) and the yakṣas. (4) Their minds will remain undistracted. (5)
They will recall their former lives after they are reborn. (6) They will obtain
the five extrasensory powers. (7) They will immediately see the bodhisattva
Maitreya when they die. (8) If they thus keep this Dharma discourse in mind
without any distraction and also eliminate indolence, they should expect to
see the Buddha and bodhisattvas in their dreams. (9) If they have faith in this
Dharma discourse, they should expect to accept that phenomena are in
complete harmony with it. (10) If they contemplate this Dharma discourse,
they should expect to be free from malicious thoughts in this very life. (11)
Even if they come into contact with swift-acting venom, they should expect
to be free from fear, provided that they keep this Dharma discourse in mind.
(12) Furthermore, they should expect to put an end to all opposition. [F.107.b]
(13) They should also expect to attain the all-illuminating absorption. (14)
Once they directly understand this Dharma discourse, they should expect to
purify all karmic obscurations. (15) Moreover, if they explain this Dharma
discourse, they should expect to gain access to countless Dharma gates. (16)
They will also certainly remember the thought of awakening and possess the
dhāraṇī infinite recitation. (17) Furthermore, if they keep in mind this Dharma
discourse, they will certainly not be encircled by māras. (18) They will also
certainly be reborn in the presence of the Buddha. (19) All their aspirations
 will certainly be fulfilled. (20) They will certainly be protected from all
species of venomous beings, including those without legs, and those with
two, four, or more legs.
1.131 “Hence, they will certainly be free from fears that upset even human
kings. Mañjuśrī, Dharma teachers who do not doubt this Dharma discourse,
and who do not question it, but memorize it, hold it, recite it, accomplish it,
and further, correctly teach it in detail to others will certainly possess these
twenty laudable qualities.”
1.132 Youthful Mañjuśrī then spoke these words: “Blessed One, it may be
illustrated as follows: All medicinal trees pacify the diseases of beings.
Likewise, this Dharma discourse should also be regarded as completely
pacifying all diseases.”
“So it is, Mañjuśrī, so it is,” the Blessed One replied. “Your words are well
spoken. This Dharma discourse completely pacifies all diseases. Why?
Because, Mañjuśrī, countless eons in the past, a tathāgata, a worthy one, a
complete and perfect buddha called Walking Like a Lion appeared in the
world. [F.108.a] From afar, he expounded this Dharma discourse to many
hundreds of thousands of beings. At that time, he summoned and included
in his retinue a bodhisattva called Victory Banner of the Vajra, who heard
this Dharma discourse from that tathāgata. Thereupon, with a mind free from
distraction, doubt, or disbelief, he retained this Dharma discourse with its
twenty laudable qualities and became accomplished in it. He came to
possess the power of faith. He traveled to towns, villages, valleys, lands,
provinces, and royal palaces where he proclaimed himself as a healer.
Thereafter, thousands of beings tormented by various diseases swiftly
arrived where the bodhisattva Victory Banner of the Vajra was staying so
that he could save their lives. The bodhisattva, with a mind abiding in the
power of faith, offered them this Dharma scripture. The mantra syllables of
knowledge that arose from this Dharma discourse offered them protection,
salvation, and assistance.
1.133 “Mañjuśrī, what is the sounding of this particular mantra of knowledge?

tadyathā alata vitāla vibhrina atirtha abhrida anuḍa vibramha nahikhagarunga

māyāsukha ānanda jālada nadamitra amitra jotrahita sarvadatrala aṃgamaṃga
arthayuta sabrāmāyiśa

1.134 “The utterance of this mantra of knowledge protected those beings. On

account of this, beings intensely tormented by various diseases were fully
freed from all their afflictions, whether they had ingested poison, or were
harmed by non-humans, possessed by any noxious type of creatures,
consumed by a disease, afflicted by leprosy, or struck by a sickness related to
wind, bile, or phlegm. Thus, Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva Victory Banner of the
 Vajra, who abided by this Dharma discourse, [F.108.b] fully freed those
beings from disease. What do you think, Mañjuśrī? If you think I was
somebody other than the bodhisattva called Victory Banner of the Vajra at
that time, in that life, you should abandon that view. Why? Because at that
time, in that life, I myself was the bodhisattva called Victory Banner of the
Vajra. I had faith in this Dharma discourse and acted for the sake of those
very beings. According to this discourse, Mañjuśrī, you should understand it
in this way: regard this Dharma discourse as the source of all medicines.”
1.135 “Blessed One,” asked Mañjuśrī, “how should bodhisattvas who memorize,
keep, and realize the words of this mantra of knowledge put it into practice?”
The Blessed One answered, “Mañjuśrī, bodhisattvas who recite this
mantra of knowledge should practice cleanliness and should not eat meat.
They should not massage their feet or engage in social distractions. They
should again and again develop feelings of kindness toward all beings. They
should not resent those who happen to hurt them. Furthermore, they should
not chant this Dharma discourse without performing ablutions. Neither
should they keep it in a filthy place.”
1.136 “Blessed One, it seems to me that bodhisattvas who teach this Dharma
discourse should even disregard their own body and life,” said Mañjuśrī.
“So it is, Mañjuśrī,” replied the Blessed One. “It is just as you have said it
is.”

1.137 Then, the Blessed One spoke to the venerable Ānanda: “Because this
Dharma discourse will benefit many beings, Ānanda, you should remember
it. Ānanda, beings who yearn for this Dharma discourse will be subdued by
the strength of the bull and the strength of the elephant. Ānanda, [F.109.a]
those who arouse faith in this Dharma discourse will stride like a lion, like a
bull. Ānanda, this Dharma discourse delights bodhisattvas and makes them
appear. After I have passed away, it will come into the hands of
bodhisattvas, into their scriptures and repositories. It will not come into the
hands, scriptures, or repositories of outcast bodhisattvas.”
1.138 “Blessed One, I will hold this Dharma discourse in precisely the way it
was explained by the Tathāgata,” promised the venerable Ānanda.
“Excellent, Ānanda,” replied the Blessed One. “It is excellent that you will
commit yourself to teaching this Dharma discourse, just as you have received
it, to the beings for whom it was given.”
1.139 After the Blessed One had uttered these words, the venerable Ānanda, the
venerable Śāriputra, Youthful Mañjuśrī, and the worlds of the gods, humans,
demigods, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the Blessed One’s words.

1.140 This completes the Great Vehicle sūtra “The Strength of the Elephant.”
n. NOTES
n.1 Boucher 2009, p. 56.

n.2 Chen 2012, pp. 273–76.

n.3 Denkarma, folio 298.b.3. See also Herrmann-Pfandt (2008), p. 85.

n.4 Phangthangma (2003), p. 13.

n.5 Apple 2014, p. 41.

n.6 Liu and Chen 2014, p. 309.

n.7 The passage in the Bodhisattvayogācāracatuḥśatakaṭīkā reads: de bzhin du ’phags

pa glang po’i rtsal gyi mdo las/ gal te chos rnams rang bzhin yod ’gyur na/ /rgyal ba
nyan thos bcas pas de mkhyen ’gyur/ /ther zug chos ni mya ngan ’da’ mi ’gyur/ /mkhas
rnams nam yang spros dang bral mi ’gyur/ /zhes gsungs so. (Degé Tengyur, vol. 103
(dbu ma, ya), folio 224.b).

n.8 Liu and Chen 2014, pp. 293f.

n.9 Liu and Chen 2014, pp. 302–09.

n.10 Liu and Chen 2014, p. 302.

n.11 Liu and Chen 2014, p. 304.

n.12 Liu and Chen 2014, pp. 306f.

n.13 Liu and Chen 2014, pp. 305f.

n.14 Liu and Chen 2014, p. 303, n.17.

n.15 Liu and Chen 2014, p. 303.

n.16 Liu and Chen 2014, p. 308.

n.17 Ibid.

n.18 It is unlikely that this meaning was intended by this sūtra’s title, although it
worth noting that, in the text, Vajradhvaja’s teacher is named
Siṃhavikrāntagati.

n.19 Phuntsho 2005, p. 236 n29.

n.20 We would like to thank Gyurme Dorje for the following note: “Pekar Zangpo
(pad dkar bzang po) in his mdo sde spyi’i rnam bzhag, pp. 278–79, classes this
discourse among the third turning sūtras and draws a distinction between
the provisional purpose of the text (gnas skabs kyi dgos pa), which is to subdue
or overwhelm beings with the strength of the elephant in order to alleviate
ailments and so forth, and the conclusive purpose (mthar thug gi dgos pa),
which is to bring about the attainment of “unsurpassed awakening.” He also
classifies the sūtra as representative of Yogācāramadhyamaka (rnal ’byor
spyod pa’i dbu ma).”

n.21 Stok: mngon par grags pa; Degé: mngon par grags pas.

n.22 Degé: nges pa’i yon tan and thab mo dag; Stok: des pa’i yon tan and thal mo dag
(Skt. añjali, “supplication”).

n.23 Degé: brtan pa mi gnas; Stok: brtan par mi gnas.

n.24 The Degé edition reads: blangs nas bdag gis lus la ’chad par byed/ /bdag ni gos ngan
snyam du de mi sems; the Stok edition reads: blangs nas lus la ’chang bar byed pa
dag /bdag ni gos ngan snyam du de mi shes.

n.25 The Degé edition reads: snying po med pa rjes su ’du shes med; the Stok edition
reads snying po dang ni rdzas su ’du shes med.

n.26 The Tibetan rigs can refer to various concepts related to the Indian traditional
organization of society: varṇa, jāti, kula, gotra. In the present context, rigs could
refer to varṇa or jāti. An alternative term to “caste” would be “class.”

n.27 This passage seems to play on a semantic ambivalence between “mistaken

view” and “view as mistaken,” which are two ways of understanding the
compound log par lta ba (mithyādṛṣṭi).
b. BIBLIOGRAPHY
glang po’i rtsal gyi mdo (Hastikakṣyasūtra). Toh 207, Degé Kangyur, vol. 62 (mdo
sde, tsha), folios 95.a–109.a.

glang po’i rtsal gyi mdo. bka’ ’gyur (dpe bsdur ma) [Comparative Edition of the
Kangyur], krung go’i bod rig pa zhib ’jug ste gnas kyi bka’ bstan dpe sdur
khang (The Tibetan Tripitaka Collation Bureau of the China Tibetology
Research Center). 108 volumes. Beijing: krung go’i bod rig pa dpe skrun
khang (China Tibetology Publishing House), 2006–2009, vol. 62, pp. 254–
88.

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

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

Apple, James B. “The Phrase dharmaparyāyo hastagato in Mahāyāna Buddhist

Literature: Rethinking the Cult of the Book in Middle Period Indian
Mahāyāna Buddhism.” Journal of the American Oriental Society 134.1 (2014),
pp. 25–50.

Boucher, Daniel. Bodhisattvas of the Forest and the Formation of the Mahāyāna: A
Study and Translation of the Rāṣṭrapālaparipṛcchā-sūtra. Honolulu: University of
Hawai’i Press, 2009.

Chen, Huaiyu. “Newly Identified Khotanese Fragments in the British

Library and Their Chinese Parallels.” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 22.2
(2012), pp. 265–79.

Conze, Edward. The Large Sutra on Perfect Wisdom: With the Divisions of the
Abhisamayālaṅkāra. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1975.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische
übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen
Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.

Phuntsho, Karma. Mipham’s Dialectics and the Debates on Emptiness: To Be, Not to
Be or Neither. London: Routledge, 2005.

Ray, Reginald A. Buddhist Saints in India: A Study in Buddhist Values and

Orientations. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.

Zhen, Liu and Chen, Huaiyu. “Some reflections on an early Mahāyāna text
Hastikakṣyasūtra.” Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies 77.2
(2014), pp. 293–312.
g. GLOSSARY

· Types of attestation for names and terms of the corresponding ·

source language

AS Attested in source text

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

AO Attested in other text

This term is attested in other manuscripts with a parallel or similar context.

AD Attested in dictionary
This term is attested in dictionaries matching Tibetan to the corresponding
language.

AA Approximate attestation
The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names
where the relationship between the Tibetan and source language is attested
in dictionaries or other manuscripts.

RP Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering

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

RS Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering

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

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

g.1 absorption
ting nge ’dzin

ང་་འན།
samādhi
 A general term for the practice of meditative absorption aimed at developing
profound states of concentration.

g.2 accomplishment of perfect peace

rab tu zhi ba sgrub pa

རབ་་་བ་བ་པ།
—
Name of a meditative absorption.

g.3 Accumulation of All Precious Roots of Virtue

dge ba’i rtsa ba rin po che thams cad bsags pa

ད་བ་་བ་ན་་་ཐམས་ཅད་བསགས་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.4 Ajita Keśakambalī

mi dkar ba skra’i la ba can

་དཀར་བ་་ལ་བ་ཅན།
ajita keśakambalī
An Indian ascetic who propounded the extreme of annihilation (ucchedavāda).
In most Tibetan canonical translations his name is rendered mi pham skra’i la
ba can, and the Tib. mi dkar ba as found here is, rather, one of several
renderings of the Sanskrit name Asita.

g.5 Ānanda
kun dga’ bo

ན་དགའ་།
ānanda
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
A major śrāvaka disciple and personal attendant of the Buddha Śākyamuni
during the last twenty-five years of his life. He was a cousin of the Buddha
(according to the Mahāvastu, he was a son of Śuklodana, one of the brothers
of King Śuddhodana, which means he was a brother of Devadatta; other
sources say he was a son of Amṛtodana, another brother of King
Śuddhodana, which means he would have been a brother of Aniruddha).

Ānanda, having always been in the Buddha’s presence, is said to have

memorized all the teachings he heard and is celebrated for having recited all
the Buddha’s teachings by memory at the first council of the Buddhist
 saṅgha, thus preserving the teachings after the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa. The
phrase “Thus did I hear at one time,” found at the beginning of the sūtras,
usually stands for his recitation of the teachings. He became a patriarch after
the passing of Mahākāśyapa.

g.6 become a renunciant

rab tu byung

རབ་་ང་།
pravrajate
Refers to one who has left the life of a householder and embraced the life of a
wandering, renunciate follower of the Buddha.

g.7 Beyond All Utterances, Speech, and Sounds

sgrar rjod pa dang dbyangs dang nga ro thams cad las ’das pa

ར་ད་པ་དང་དངས་དང་ང་་ཐམས་ཅད་ལས་འདས་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.8 blessed one

bcom ldan ’das

བམ་ན་འདས།
bhagavān · bhagavat
“One who has bhaga,” which has many diverse meanings including “good
fortune,” “happiness,” and “majesty.” In the Buddhist context, it means one
who has the good fortune of attaining enlightenment. The Tibetan
translation has three syllables defined to mean “one who has conquered (the
maras), possesses (the qualities of enlightenment), and has transcended
(saṃsāra, or both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa).

g.9 Blossom of the Four Jewels

rin po che bzhi’i me tog rgyas pa

ན་་་བ་་ག་ས་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.10 cakravartin
’khor los sgyur ba

འར་ས་ར་བ།
 cakravartin
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in
previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma.
Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that
rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his
power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his
activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to
Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one
cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise
endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being
(mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a
buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the
horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An
illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found
in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13.

Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a

golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by
lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel
(rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to
him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel
(tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit
themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron
wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit
themselves after brandishing weapons.

g.11 conceptual signs

mtshan ma

མཚན་མ།
nimitta
Conceptual characteristics or reifications that lead to distraction and a false
understanding of reality.

g.12 conquering all forms

gzugs thams cad rnam par gnon pa

གགས་ཐམས་ཅད་མ་པར་གན་པ།
—
Name of a meditative absorption.

g.13 defilement
 zag pa

ཟག་པ།
asrava
Literally “outflows,” these are mental defilements or contaminations that
“flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them.

g.14 dhāraṇī
gzungs

གངས།
dhāraṇī
This term is used in various ways. For instance, it refers to the mental
capacity of not forgetting, enabling one in particular to cultivate positive
forces and to ward off negativity. It is also very commonly used as a term for
mystical verses similar to mantras, the usage of which will grant a particular
power.

g.15 discernment
lhag mthong

ག་མང་།
vipaśyana
The mental factor or power that discerns phenomena and ascertains the true
nature of things.

g.16 domain of truth

chos kyi dbyings

ས་་དངས།
dharmadhātu
The expanse of phenomena, the sphere of ultimate reality.

g.17 Essence of the Splendor of Overwhelming Sound

mngon par gnon pa’i sgra sgrogs gzi brjid snying po

མན་པར་གན་པ་་གས་གཟི་བད་ང་།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.18 five extrasensory powers

mngon par shes pa lnga
 མན་པར་ས་པ་།
pañcābhijñā
(1) The divine eye, (2) the divine ear, (3) knowledge of others’ minds, (4)
recollection of past lives, and (5) miracles.

g.19 gandharva
dri za

་ཟ།
gandharva
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies,
sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically
to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the
Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who
serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the
mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state
between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances
(gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning
“scent eater.”

g.20 Gladdened with Supreme Joy

mngon par dga’ bas mgu ba skyed pa

མན་པར་དགའ་བས་མ་བ་ད་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.21 Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain

rgod kyi phung po’i ri

ད་་ང་ ་།
gṛdhrakūṭa
Also known as “Vulture Peak,” a hill located in modern-day Bihar, India, and
in the vicinity of the ancient city of Rājagṛha. A location where many sūtras
were taught and which continues to be a sacred pilgrimage site for
Buddhists to this day.

g.22 great lotus

pad mo chen po

པད་་ན་།
 mahāpadma
Name of a meditative absorption.

g.23 hearer
nyan thos

ཉན་ས།
śravaka
Followers, literally “hearers,” of those teachings of the Buddha that focus on
the monastic lifestyle and liberating oneself from suffering, in contrast to
followers of the Bodhisattva Vehicle who seek buddhahood for the sake of
all beings.

g.24 infinite recitation

mtha’ yas par ’khyil pa

མཐའ་ཡས་པར་འལ་པ།
—
Name of a dhāraṇī.

g.25 inner absorption

nang du yang dag ’jog pa

ནང་་ཡང་དག་འག་པ།
pratisaṃlayana
This term can mean both physical seclusion and a meditative state of
withdrawal.

g.26 Ju Mipham Gyatso

’ju mi pham rgya mtsho

འ་་ཕམ་་མ།
—
A famous polymath of the Tibetan Ancient (rnying ma) tradition (1846-1912)
whose collected writings fill thirty-three volumes.

g.27 Kakuda Kātyāyana

dpon po kA tyA ya na

དན་་་་ཡ་ན།
kakuda kātyāyana
A teacher associated with Maskari Gośāliputra and the doctrine of non-
action (akriyāvāda), a type of antinomianism.
g.28 Kaśyapa
’od srung

ད་ང་།
kaśyapa
An Indian sage, also known as Pūraṇa Kaśyapa, who maintained the
doctrine of non-action (akriyāvāda). Not to be confused with one of the
Buddha’s foremost disciples, who had the same name.

g.29 lay vow holder

dge bsnyen

ད་བན།
upāsaka
An unordained male practitioner who observes the five vows not to kill, lie,
steal, be intoxicated, or commit sexual misconduct.

g.30 Light Beam of Great Lightning

glog chen sgron ma

ག་ན་ན་མ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.31 Light Vanquishing with Undefiled Forces

dpung pa dri ma med pas ’od zer bcom pa

དང་པ་་མ་ད་པས་ད་ར་བམ་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.32 Lofty Like Mount Meru’s Summit

ri rab brtsegs pa ltar mngon par ’phags pa

་རབ་བགས་པ་ར་མན་པར་འཕགས་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.33 māra
bdud

བད།
 māra
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
Māra, literally “death” or “maker of death,” is the name of the deva who tried
to prevent the Buddha from achieving awakening, the name given to the
class of beings he leads, and also an impersonal term for the destructive
forces that keep beings imprisoned in saṃsāra:

(1) As a deva, Māra is said to be the principal deity in the Heaven of Making
Use of Others’ Emanations (paranirmitavaśavartin), the highest paradise in the
desire realm. He famously attempted to prevent the Buddha’s awakening
under the Bodhi tree —see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.1—and later sought
many times to thwart the Buddha’s activity. In the sūtras, he often also
creates obstacles to the progress of śrāvakas and bodhisattvas. (2) The devas
ruled over by Māra are collectively called mārakāyika or mārakāyikadevatā, the
“deities of Māra’s family or class.” In general, these māras too do not wish
any being to escape from saṃsāra, but can also change their ways and even
end up developing faith in the Buddha, as exemplified by Sārthavāha; see
The Play in Full (Toh 95), 21.14 and 21.43. (3) The term māra can also be
understood as personifying four defects that prevent awakening, called (i)
the divine māra (devaputramāra), which is the distraction of pleasures; (ii) the
māra of Death (mṛtyumāra), which is having one’s life interrupted; (iii) the
māra of the aggregates (skandhamāra), which is identifying with the five
aggregates; and (iv) the māra of the afflictions (kleśamāra), which is being
under the sway of the negative emotions of desire, hatred, and ignorance.

g.34 Maskari Gośāliputra

ma ska ri ’ga’ ba ya la

མ་་་འགའ་བ་ཡ་ལ།
maskari gośāliputra
An Indian teacher associated with the Ājīvika sect. His doctrine is known as
saṃsāraviśuddhi, i.e., the doctrine of purity for getting rid of the cycle of birth
and death.

g.35 meditative state

mnyam par bzhag pa

མཉམ་པར་བཞག་པ།
samāhita
Literally meaning correct (samyak) acquisition (āpatti) of truth or reality, this is
a term used in early Buddhism to refer to the succession of meditative states
leading to the attainment of nirvāṇa.
g.36 mendicant
bsod snyoms spyod pa

བད་མས་ད་པ།
piṇḍapātacārikin
One who engages in asceticism.

g.37 moral discipline

’dul ba

འལ་བ།
vinaya
One of the three Piṭakas, or “Baskets,” of the Buddhist canon; the one
dealing specifically with the code of monastic disipline.

g.38 Nirgrantha Jñatiputra

gcer bu pa nye du’u bu

གར་་པ་་་།
nirgrantha jñatiputra
Also known as the Mahāvīra, the founder of the Jaina sect.

g.39 nirvāṇa
mya ngan las ’das pa

་ངན་ལས་འདས་པ།
nirvāṇa
Literally “extinction,” the state beyond sorrow, it refers to the ultimate
attainment of buddhahood, the permanent cessation of all suffering and of
the afflicted mental states that lead to suffering. Three types of nirvāṇa are
identified: (1) the residual nirvāṇa where the person is still dependent on
conditioned psycho-physical aggregates, (2) the non-residual nirvāṇa where
the aggregates have also been consumed within emptiness, and (3) the non-
abiding nirvāṇa transcending the extremes of phenomenal existence and
quiescence.

g.40 noble (one)

’phags pa

འཕགས་པ།
ārya
 An honorific term used to refer to anything of exalted status. Thus, it can
refer to a noble person, one of a higher class or caste. In the context of
Buddhism, it refers to one who has gained realization on the path of seeing
and thus understands selflessness.

g.41 non-Buddhist
mu stegs pa

་གས་པ།
tīrthika
Adherents of non-Buddhist spiritual traditions.

g.42 outcast bodhisattvas

byang chub sems dpa’ gdol ba

ང་བ་མས་དཔའ་གལ་བ།
bodhisattvacāṇḍāla
Bodhisattvas who are attached to disciplined practices and living in remote
areas.

g.43 Overcoming Fears with Words of Renown

grags pa’i sgras ’jigs pa bcom pa

གས་པ་ས་འགས་པ་བམ་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.44 particular display illuminating the abandonment of all activities

spyod pa thams cad la btang ba snang ba’i khyad par ston pa

ད་པ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ་བཏང་བ་ང་བ་ད་པར་ན་པ།
—
Name of a meditative absorption.

g.45 Perseverant Beyond Compare and Wise

brtson ’grus dpe med blo gros

བན་འས་ད་ད་་ོས།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.46 Possessing Vajralike Solidity

rdo rje lta bur brtan pa thob pa
 ་་་ར་བན་པ་བ་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.47 Rājagṛha
rgyal po’i khab

ལ་ ་ཁབ།
rājagṛha
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
The ancient capital of Magadha prior to its relocation to Pāṭaliputra during
the Mauryan dynasty, Rājagṛha is one of the most important locations in
Buddhist history. The literature tells us that the Buddha and his saṅgha
spent a considerable amount of time in residence in and around Rājagṛha—
in nearby places, such as the Vulture Peak Mountain (Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata), a
major site of the Mahāyāna sūtras, and the Bamboo Grove (Veṇuvana)—
enjoying the patronage of King Bimbisāra and then of his son King
Ajātaśatru. Rājagṛha is also remembered as the location where the first
Buddhist monastic council was held after the Buddha Śākyamuni passed
into parinirvāṇa. Now known as Rajgir and located in the modern Indian
state of Bihar.

g.48 Reaching the Far Shore of Definitive Meaning to Fulfill Beings’

Aspirations
sems can gyi bsam pa nges pa’i don gyi pha rol tu bgrod par dong ba

མས་ཅན་ི་བསམ་པ་ས་པ་ན་ི་ཕ་ལ་་བོད་པར་ང་བ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.49 Sañjayi Vairattīputra

kun rgyal ’be’i ra ti’i bu

ན་ལ་འ་ར་་།
sañjayi vairattīputra
A proponent of the doctrine of scepticism (vikṣepavāda).

g.50 Śāradvatīputra
sha ra dwa ti’i bu

ཤ་ར་་་།
śāradvatīputra
 Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
One of the principal śrāvaka disciples of the Buddha, he was renowned for
his discipline and for having been praised by the Buddha as foremost of the
wise (often paired with Maudgalyāyana, who was praised as foremost in the
capacity for miraculous powers). His father, Tiṣya, to honor Śāriputra’s
mother, Śārikā, named him Śāradvatīputra, or, in its contracted form,
Śāriputra, meaning “Śārikā’s Son.”

g.51 Śāriputra
shA ri’i bu

་་།
śāriputra
One of the major hearers, paired with Maudgalyāyana, and noted for having
been praised by the Buddha as foremost of the wise; hence, the most
frequent target for Vimalakīrti’s attacks on the śrāvakas and on the
Hinayāna in general. Also known as Śāradvatīputra.

g.52 Seeing Beyond Extremes and Transcending All Sensory Objects

mtha’ yas par lta zhing yul thams cad las ’das pa

མཐའ་ཡས་པར་་ང་ལ་ཐམས་ཅད་ལས་འདས་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.53 settling in complete peace

nye bar zhi ba la ’jug pa

་བར་་བ་ལ་འག་པ།
upaśamapraveśa
Name of a meditative absorption.

g.54 solitary realizer

rang sangs rgyas

རང་སངས་ས།
pratyekabuddha
Literally, “buddha for himself,” or “solitary realizer.” Those who attain
buddhahood in a time when a buddha’s doctrine is no longer available in the
world, and who remain either in solitude or among peers, without teaching
the path of liberation to others. They are sometimes called “rhinoceros-like”
for their preference to stay in solitude.
g.55 subduing and illuminating
mngon par gnon cing rnam par gsal ba

མན་པར་གན་ང་མ་པར་གསལ་བ།
vispaṣṭa
Name of a meditative absorption.

g.56 sugata
bde bar gshegs pa

བ་བར་གགས་པ།
sugata
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers
three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities
of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete
buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa
(“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as
in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has
gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot
that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the
way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt.
gata) is good (Skt. su).

In this text:
Here used also as an epithet of the Buddha Śākyamuni.

g.57 tathāgata
de bzhin gshegs pa

་བན་གགས་པ།
tathāgata
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
A frequently used synonym for buddha. According to different explanations,
it can be read as tathā-gata, literally meaning “one who has thus gone,” or as
tathā-āgata, “one who has thus come.” Gata, though literally meaning “gone,”
is a past passive participle used to describe a state or condition of existence.
Tatha(tā), often rendered as “suchness” or “thusness,” is the quality or
condition of things as they really are, which cannot be conveyed in
conceptual, dualistic terms. Therefore, this epithet is interpreted in different
ways, but in general it implies one who has departed in the wake of the
buddhas of the past, or one who has manifested the supreme awakening
 dependent on the reality that does not abide in the two extremes of existence
and quiescence. It is also often used as a specific epithet of the Buddha
Śākyamuni.

g.58 thought of awakening

byang chub tu sems

ང་བ་་མས།
bodhicitta
In Mahāyāna Buddhism, this refers to the altruistic resolve to achieve
complete and perfect buddhahood for the sake of oneself and all sentient
beings.

g.59 three Dharma robes

chos gos gsum

ས་ས་གམ།
tricīvara
These include the outer robe (bla gos), the lower robe (mthang gos), and the
monk’s shawl (snam sbyar).

g.60 transcendent insight

shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa

ས་རབ་་ཕ་ལ་་ན་པ།
prajñāpāramitā
The sixth of the six perfections, it refers to the profound understanding of
the emptiness of all phenomena, the realization of ultimate reality.

g.61 venerable
tshe dang ldan pa

་དང་ན་པ།
ayuṣmat
A respectful form of address between monks and also lay companions of
equal standing. Literally, one who has a [long] life.

g.62 Victory Banner of the Vajra

rdo rje’i rgyal mtshan

་་ལ་མཚན།
vajradhvaja
The name of a past bodhisattva.
g.63 Voice More Majestic Than Brahmā’s
tshangs pa’i sgra gzi brjid mngon par ’phags pa

ཚངས་པ་་གཟི་བད་མན་པར་འཕགས་པ།
—
The name of a bodhisattva in the Buddha’s audience.

g.64 Walking Like a Lion

seng ge’i stabs su ’gro ba

ང་་བས་་འོ་བ།
siṃhavikrāntagati
The name of a past Buddha.

g.65 world system

’jig rten gyi khams

འག་ན་ི་ཁམས།
lokadhātu
This can refer to one world with its orbiting sun and moon, and also to
groups of these worlds in multiples of thousands, in particular a world realm
of a thousand million worlds, which is said to be circular, with its
circumference twice as long as its diameter.

g.66 worthy one

dgra bcom pa

ད་བམ་པ།
arhat
One who has achieved the fourth and final level of attainment on the
śrāvaka path, and who has thus attained liberation with the cessation of all
mental afflictions.

g.67 Youthful Mañjuśrī

’jam dpal gzhon nur gyur pa

འཇམ་དཔལ་གན་ར་ར་པ།
mañjuśrīkumārabhūta
Mañjuśrī who takes the form of a youth, an epithet by which the well-known
bodhisattva is often referred. He is considered to be the embodiment of the
transcendent perfection of insight and is portrayed wielding a sword in his
right hand that cuts through delusion and a volume of the Prajñāpāramitāsūtra
in his left that contains teachings on transcendent insight.