1334. According to Ratnākara (F.211.a–b), “all things” here means all those things comprised of the body or speech of beings, either moving or stationary, on the earth, in the water, or in the atmosphere that are emanated (nirmita) in infinite world systems by the Blessed One (as an emanation body) in order to tame beings. One should know “the limitlessness” of the Blessed One’s “wisdom from the limitlessness” of those physical and verbal things. RK: sarvadharmāparyantatayā prajñāpāramitā’paryantatā’nugantavye ti| yāvantaḥ sthalajalāntarikṣacarāṇāṃ sthāvarajaṅgamānāṃ sattvānāṃ kāyavāksaṃgṛhītā dharmāḥ sattvānāṃ vinayanāya bhagavatā ananteṣu lokadhātuṣu nirmitāḥ te sarvadharmās teṣām aparyantatayā bhagavataḥ prajñāyā aparyantatā veditavyā. Note: Ratnākara’s explains that an emanation body (nairmāṇikakāya) is not a body separate from the enjoyment body, and hence does not have its own mind. It is just the way that the enjoyment body appears to sentient beings. Needless to say, Ratnākara’s view of this differs greatly from Hari’s and other scholars. The next few sentences correspond to the qualities of the emanation body. These comments will not be translated here.
1335. According to Ratnākara (212.a), a buddha’s three bodies have been taught. Now his enlightened activity should be taught. The condensed statement of it is when he says, “He or she should approach the roaring (nadanatā) of the transcendent state of wisdom as the roaring of a lion’s roar.” The lion is the supreme among animals. Due to his being like that, the Buddha is called the supreme among persons or (figuratively) a lion among persons. But here, due to his having reached the highest excellence, the Blessed One is called a lion in the sense of being supreme in comparison to all persons, including gods, men, and so on. His Dharma teachings are called the lion’s roar because they completely fulfill all aspirations and they are frightening to all creatures promulgating false doctrines, like the gem (known as) the lion’s banner. The “roaring” of a lion means his teachings. One should “approach” that wisdom of the Blessed One as (like a lion’s roar) means that one should know it as the perfection (of wisdom), because it has transcended to the other shore. But the “roaring of the lion” is teaching his enlightened activity of twenty-seven types. RK: uktās trayaḥ kāyāḥ| kāritram idānīṃ vaktavyam| tat samāsata āha| siṃhanādanadanatayā prajñāpāramitānugantavye ti| mṛgāṇām uttamaḥ siṃhaḥ| tatsādharmyāt puruṣottamāḥ puruṣasiṃhā ity ucyante| iha tu prakarṣagater devamanuṣyādisarvapuruṣottamas tathāgataḥ siṃha ity ucyate| tasya dharmaḥ sarvāśāparipūraṇatayā sarvaparapravādimṛgabhīṣaṇatayā ca siṃhanāda ity ucyate| siṃhadhvajavat| tasya nadano deśakaḥ| tadbhāvas tattā| tayā bhagavataḥ prajñā gantavyā pāragamanāt pāramitā veditavyety arthaḥ| sa punaḥ siṃhanādanadanaḥ saptaviṃśatividhasya kāritradeśanā. Note: Ratnākara comments at length on the enlightened activity. Those comments will not be translated here.
1336. According to Ratnākara (F.219.a), to demonstrate the pervasiveness of the Buddha’s enlightened activity, he says this sentence. Enlightened activity is behavior, and behavior is a “thing” according to the saying “a method, a thing with its behavior, and a nature are called a thing.” So “all things” refers to the twenty-seven types of enlightened activities. Their “unassailability” means their unscathability. It functions uninterruptedly to the limits of space as a vessel with all aspects for sentient beings located in all the realms within the ten directions. One should know that unassailability to be the same as the “unassailability of the transcendent state of wisdom”—referring here to the mother of the activities belonging to the Blessed One. This ends the section teaching the activity of the truth body. RK: kāritrasyaiva vyāpitvaṃ darśayitum āha| sarvadharmākopyatayā prajñāpāramitākopyatā’nugantavye ti| kāritram ācāraḥ| ācāro dharmaḥ| “nyāyo hi sācāro dharmaḥ svabhāvaś ca dharmākhyaḥ” iti vacanāt| sarvo dharmaḥ saptaviṃśatividhaṃ kāritram| tasyākopyatā avadhyatā| daśadiksarvalokadhātusthiteṣu sarvasattveṣu sarvair ākāraiḥ yathā bhājanam avicchedena yāvad ākāśaṃ pravṛttiḥ| tayā tajjanikayā bhagavataḥ prajñāpāramitāyā akopyatā tādṛśy eva veditavyā| ity uktaṃ dharmakāyasya kāritram.
1337. This item in the series is present in the Sanskrit of Wogihara’s edition (pp. 911–2), but is missing in Vaidya’s edition and in the Tibetan. Note that it would appear to be additional to the series if the series here is compared to the matching individual elements in the preceding paragraphs, where even in Wogihara’s edition nothing resembling it is present.
1338. This chapter corresponds in content to the first part of the narrative of Sadāprarudita’s quest to receive the transcendent state of wisdom teachings from Dharmodgata, as recounted in Chapters 73 and 74 of the Twenty-Five Thousand, and Chapter 85 of the Eighteen Thousand (the Hundred Thousand as witnessed in the Sanskrit and in the Tibetan of most Kangyurs does not include the narrative). The accounts in the different sūtras are similar in content, but with some significant differences. Generally speaking, the versions in the Twenty-Five Thousand and Eighteen Thousand are more similar to each other than either of them is to the version here in the Eight Thousand. There are differences of content and order in the Tibetan to an extent that may reflect different Sanskrit source texts, rather than simply representing independently made translations into Tibetan or resulting from divergences in successive layers of editing and revision.
1339. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), the “Chapter on Sadāprarudita” is the chapter characterized by (the bodhisattva named) Sadāprarudita (“Always Crying”). RK: sadāprarudito palakṣitaḥ parivartas tatparivartaḥ. Note: As will be seen in the story, the bodhisattva Sadāprarudita always cries when overwhelmed with positive emotions, not worldly sadness or grief.
1340. According to Ratnākara (F.221.a), the transcendent state of wisdom has been explained through the eight realizations (outlined in the Ornament). One must understand what has not (yet) been said about the way it is. So, wishing to explain this, the Blessed One said “furthermore” and adds the following (three chapters, 30 to 32). RK: aṣṭābhir abhisamayair bhagavatī nirdiṣṭā| sā yathā veditavyā tan noktam| atas tad bhagavān vivakṣur āha punaraparam ityādi. Note: The translation of the name Bhīṣmagarjitanirghoṣasvara would be something like “Irresistible Thundering Melodious Voice,” based on the Tibetan mi bzad for bhīṣma.
1341. In this chapter, the term “Transcendent State of Wisdom” often refers to the scripture in the form of a book. Hence, many times the forms of the Sanskrit verb √śru are translated as, for instance, “learned” (śruta) rather than “heard” or “listened to,” because (a) the transcendent state of wisdom cannot be “heard” from a book, as it is presented in this chapter, and (b) the entire scripture also talks about learning it by taking it in, memorizing it, and so forth as the preliminary step toward realizing the actual transcendent state of wisdom.
1342. According to Ratnākara (F.221.a), the prohibition of paying attention “to physical fatigue” signifies an exceedingly heroic deed. RK: kāyaklamathādimanasikārā ṇāṃ pratiṣedho vīryātiśayārthaḥ.
1343. According to Ratnākara (F.221.a), the sentences beginning with “Noble son, as you go…” are prohibiting attentiveness to unreal things. The term satkāya, “transitory collection,” is etymologically derived from the verb √sad, meaning something is perishing (translated here as “transitory”), while the word kāya is translated “collection” because it is the heaps (of the constituents of experience). The constituents of experience such as physical form and so on are impermanent; hence, it is called the transitory collection. One assigns the name “person” to this transitory collection. So, when it says “not on the basis of a self or the transitory collection,” it means not based on your having the nature of a person with either real existence or nominal existence, because neither of these (types of existence) is mentally perceived. When he says “on the basis of physical forms” and so on, it refers to the constituents of experience, namely physical forms and so on, because these things too are not mentally perceived. One who “proceeds on such a basis” means one who proceeds on the basis of these things; “moves backward” means turns away due to projecting (existence) onto those. The rest here can be easily understood (without commentary). RK: tathā ca kulaputre tyādinā atattvamanasikārāṇāṃ pratiṣedhaḥ| nātmato na satkāyata iti| sīdatīti sat| rāśitvāt kāyaḥ| anityo rūpādirāśiḥ satkāya ity ucyate| satkāye pudgalaḥ prajñapyate| ataś ca nātmato na satkāyataś cohī ti| na dravyasatā pudgalarūpeṇa nāpi prajñaptisatā| ubhayor anupalambhād ity arthaḥ| na rūpataś ce tyādi| nāpi rūpādibhiḥ skandhaiḥ| dharmāṇām apy anupalabdher iti bhāvaḥ| ataś calatī ti ebhiś calati| eṣāṃ samāropeṇa vitiṣṭhata iti nivartate| śeṣaṃ sugamam. See n.341 for another etymology and meaning of satkāya.
1344. According to Ratnākara (F.221.b), “light” means to teach the path of liberation. “To develop” means he wishes to give rise perfectly (to those qualities) himself. RK: ālokam iti mokṣamārgasya deśanām| samudānetukāma iti| ātmani samyag utpādayitukāmaḥ.
1345. According to Ratnākara (F.221.b), having “firm conviction” means determining a fact to be absolutely true.” RK: adhimuktim iti| evam evaitad ity avadhāraṇam.
1346. According to Ratnākara (F.221.b), regarding things being “empty, free from signs, free from inclinations,” they are “empty” because an intentional thing does not exist the way it falsely appears; “free from signs” because the false appearance, which is an erroneous conventional sign, ceases naturally; and “free from inclinations” because there is no inclination toward anything in the three realms that is seen to be a mere cognitive error. Also, there is no arising, birth, or cessation (aniruddha) of something without an inherent nature. Something without any state of being has no arising or cessation. Therefore, a virtuous friend is someone who teaches the freedom from arising, birth, cessation, or any state of being. Also, the reverse of that is implicitly suggested here, namely that an unvirtuous friend does not teach these things. RK: śūnyānimittāpraṇihiteṣu| yathāpratibhāsam arthābhāvāc chūnyeṣu| tasya ca pratibhāsasya bhrāntinimittasya prakṛtinirodhād animitteṣu| ataś ca bhrāntimātratayā dṛṣṭe traidhātuke praṇidhānābhāvād apraṇihiteṣu| … niḥsvabhāvasya notpādo na jātir na nirodhaḥ| yasya notpādanirodhau so ’bhāvaḥ| tasmād anutpādā ajātā anirodhā abhāvāḥ sarvadharmā ity evaṃ yāni dharmaṃ deśayanti tāni kalyāṇamitrāṇi| arthād gamyate tadviparītaṃ dharma yāni deśayanti tāni pāpamitrāṇi. Note: Ratnākara also says here, “In some manuscripts, the word śūnyatā appears (instead of śūnya), but in these cases the -tā suffix is pleonastic.” RK: śūnyatā śabdaḥ kvacit paṭhyate| tatra svārthe tal.
1347. According to Ratnākara (F.221.b), “appreciation” is based on knowing what has been learned and “gratitude” is based knowing the fruits of what has been learned. RK: kṛtajña śrutajñānāt| kṛtavedī śrutaphalajñānāt.
1348. According to Ratnākara (F.221.b–22.a), “worldly enjoyments” means food, drink, clothing and so on. Being “attached to” those means desiring them. RK: lokāmiṣaṃ annapānavastrādi| tena pratisaṃyuktā tadabhilāṣiṇī.
1349. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), the three verbs “partakes of” and so on mean to consume. RK: sevitum ityādeḥ padatrayasya paribhoktum ity arthaḥ.
1350. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), “He or she has overcome” means he or she is free from vices. “In order to tame sentient beings” means in order to protect their minds; “support” means assist; “attachment” means craving; and “sense objects” means mental perceptions (of them). RK: abhibhūye ti nirdoṣīkṛtya| sattvavinayene ti sattvānāṃ cittarakṣārtham| parigraham upādāye ti parigrahārtham| saṅgas tṛṣṇā| ārambaṇam upalambhaḥ. Note: In place of “sense objects” (ārambaṇam), the Tibetan text reads “obscurations” (sgrib pa). Although the Tibetan makes good sense, this English translation has followed the Sanskrit edition to align with the comments of both Ratnākara and Hari.
1351. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), “true nature” refers to the ontological analysis (of them). RK: bhūtanaya paramārthaprabhedaḥ.
1352. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), the first sentence, “free of any sentient being” and so on, explains the freedom from the identity of a person. The second sentence, “like a magical illusion” and so on, explains the freedom from the identity of things. RK: niḥsattvā dipadaiḥ pudgalanairātmyam āha| māyopamā dipadair dharmanairātmyam.
1353. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), “talk back” means reply (with resistance); not “depressed” means not distressed. RK: prativāṇiḥ prativacanam| anirviṇṇam akhinnam.
1354. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), “guidance” means instructions. RK: anuśāsanī upadeśaḥ.
1355. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), “crying” means with tears falling; “weeping” means with miserable whimpering; “grieving” means longingly; and “lamenting” means wailing. RK: rudan aśrupātena| krandan dīnasvaraiḥ| śocan utkaṇṭhamānaḥ| paridevamāno vilapan.
1356. The text reads pañcabhir yojanaśatair, “five hundred yojanas.” There are different opinions about how far a yojana is. This translation follows the idea that a yojana is 2.5 miles. This means that 500 yojana is roughly 1,250 miles. Cf. MW yojana, where a yojana is 9 miles, meaning that 500 yojana is roughly 4,500 miles.
1357. According to Ratnākara (F.222.a), “thriving” with extensive wealth; “successful” with beautiful houses, gardens, and so on; “safe” means not susceptible to attack; “has excellent provisions” because food and drink are easy to come by; “filled with” means full of; and “many” means different types. RK: ṛddhā dhanasampattyā| sphītā gṛhodyānādiśobhayā| kṣemā nirupadravatvāt| subhikṣā sulabhānnapānatvāt| ākīrṇo vistīrṇaḥ| bahu nānāvidho.
1358. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), “indoor bazaar” means an indoor place to buy and sell. In it are “one hundred aisles.” There are “five” of those “separate,” i.e., completely separated from one another, since their aisles go up to the end of a barrier on both sides. “Brightly colored” (as if) by “painting” because they are marvelous. They are “like” they are, because they are fit for a large fort town. “Not overflowing” with those means not thronged with those things. The “streets” means long carriage roads that are places for “people, carriages, and vehicles” to move about together. The streets have a “fixed order” (sthāpita<sthāpana). It is “well organized” i.e., well arranged, with those. There, the “people” such as pedestrians and so on; “the carriages,” i.e., wagons; and the “vehicles,” i.e., chariots, are “harmonious for all” because there are no potholes and there is equal (room) for one another. RK: antara syāntare āpaṇaḥ krayavikrayasthānam| tasmin vithīśatāni| taiḥ pañcabhiḥ nirviddhā niḥśeṣaṃ viddhā| vithī nām āprakārāntam ubhayato gamanāt| ālekhy ena vicitrāṇi ca tāni citrāṇi cādbhūtatvāt| sadṛśāni ca purānurūpatvāt| taiḥ anutpīḍam asaṃbādhaṃ janayugyayān ānāṃ saṃkramasthānāni saṃbhūyagamanasthānāni vistīrṇarathyāḥ| teṣāṃ sthāpitāni sthāpanāni| bhāve ktaḥ| taiḥ sumāpitā suracitā| tatra janaḥ padikādilokāḥ| yugyāni vāhanāni| yānāni rathāḥ| anantaratvāt parasparatulyatvāc ca samasamaiḥ.
1359. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), “battlements” (khoḍakaśīrṣāṇi; mda’ yab) are (the parts of the rampart at) the top of the steps (krama; ka gzhu). “Rise above” means extending upward due to sticking out somewhat from the broad rampart. “Large” means high and wide. RK: khoḍakaśīrṣāṇi kramaśīrṣāṇi| upodgatānī ti prākārād ativistīrṇāt kiñcinnirgatyodgatāni| pramāṇavantī ti pṛthūni tuṅgāni ca. Note: The Tibetan translation of pramāṇavantī as mtho zhing tshad dang ldan pa for pramāṇavanti here (F.263.b) suggests that the Tibetan translation of the Eight Thousand was indeed edited or revised following Ratnākara’s commentary, among others. The Tibetan translators’ colophon (see Translators’ colophon from the Tibetan and introduction) sets out several stages in which this may have been the case. See also n.16.
1360. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), (the strings) are coming out “from each tree on the battlements” to the “other trees” in a “connected” manner. “Entire” means that everything is within it. The “net with small bells fastened to it” is hanging down like many strings of pearls fastened in a square (crisscrossing way) with other strings of pearls connected to the trees on the battlements of the four city walls. RK: sarvataś ca khoḍakavṛkṣān nirgatā vṛkṣāntaram| yathābhavati tath āvasaktam| sarvam asyām astīti sarvāvatī| kiṅkiṇījālene ti catuṣprākārakhoḍakavṛkṣāvasaktamaṇisūtra-catuṣṭayāvabaddhānekamaṇisūtravalambinā.
1361. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), it is “sweet” because it is pleasant to hear. “Charming” means captivating. The “five types of musical instruments” refers to lutes, flutes, and so on. RK: valguḥ| śrotrasukhatvāt| rañjanīyo manoharatvāt| pañcāṅgāni vīṇāvaṃśādīni.
1362. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), “entertained” through the ears; “delighted” mentally; and “amuse themselves” with physical and verbal activities. RK: krīḍanti śrotreṇa, ramante manasā, paricārayanti kāyavākparispandaiḥ.
1363. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), “moats” are ditches. These are endowed with a water current in “harmony” with the wind and so on. RK: parikhāḥ khātayaḥ| anusārivārivāhinya iti vātādyanusāri ṇā jalapravāhe ṇa yuktāḥ.
1364. According to Ratnākara (F.222.b), “pink lotuses” are reddish kamalas and “white lotuses” are white padmas. The “most excellent” means the most distinguished. The word “fragrant” is a synonym of sweet-smelling. RK: padmaṃ raktakamalam| puṇḍarīkaṃ sitapadmam| abhijātābhijātar iti praṇītapraṇītaiḥ| sugandha śabdaḥ surabhiparyāyaḥ. Note: Dictionaries are not univocal on the color and type of flowers represented by the Sanskrit words here, so this translation follows Ratnākara.
1365. According to Ratnākara (F.223.a), “the guidance of the buddhas” refers to the transcendent state of wisdom. “Respect” means with extraordinarily clear trust in it. RK: buddhanetrī prajñāpāramitā| tasyā citrīkāraḥ paraḥ prasādaḥ.
1366. According to Ratnākara (F.223.a), “for enjoyment” of fruits, flowers, and so on, “and for leisure,” meaning entirely for enjoying by being in the forest and so on. RK: upabhogaparibhogāye ty upabhogaḥ phalapuṣpādīnām| paribhogaḥ sākalyena bhogo vanavihārādinā.
1367. According to Ratnākara (F.223.a), “endowed” means united with the sense objects of pleasure on that occasion. “Enjoying” means being connected with enjoyments that please all the senses. He is “entertained” with words; “delighted” mentally; and “amuses himself” physically. RK: samarpitaḥ saṅgamitaḥ| tair avakāśaguṇaiḥ| sarvendriyāṇām anugrahaḥ samanvaṅgaḥ| tadyogāt samanvaṅgī| krīḍati vācā| ramate manasā| paricārayati kāyena.
1368. According to Ratnākara (F.223.a), “for so long” means for a limited time. “Afterward” means after being entertained and so on. The “three daily time periods” are the morning, midday, and evening. RK: tāvat kālam iti parimitakālam| tata iti krīḍādikālād ūrdhvam| trikālam iti prāṇtamadhyāntāparānteṣu.
1369. Cf. BHSD prajñapayanti, “arrange, provide a seat.” Cf. BHSD pādakaṃ, “foot of a seat.”
1370. According to Ratnākara (F.223.a), “muslin fabric from Kāśi” could be either from Vārānasī or from a heaven (presumably associated with Kāśi). RK: kāśikavastraṃ vārāṇaseyakaṃ divyaṃ vā.
1371. According to Ratnākara (F.223.a), they hold it up “evenly”—not in an uneven manner using long posts. “Together” means in unison. “Carefully” means with attentiveness. He explains how it is possible (that they can do all this) with the words “because” and so on. RK: samaṃ yathā bhavati na viṣamaṃ tathā dhārayanti pramāṇavadbhiḥ stambhaiḥ| sahitāḥ samagrāḥ| niratāḥ sāvadhānāḥ| katham ity āha| kim ayaṃ saṃsthita iti| kuta ityāha| susaṃsthite tyādi.
1372. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), “strew” them right in front, “spread” them around the three sides, but “scatter” them even around the fourth (i.e., the back side). RK: abhyavakiranti purastāt| prakaranti triṣu pārśveṣu| saṃpravikiranti punaś caturṣv api pārśveṣu.
1373. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), regarding their “pure motivation,” the purity concerns their faith and aspirations for the teachings. Their “devotion” to the teachings is because of their virtuous friend. RK: dharmāśayaviśuddhye ti dharme yā teṣāṃ śraddhācchandayoḥ śuddhiḥ| dharmāya gauravaṃ kalyāṇamitratvāt.
1374. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), their “readiness” means their being a good vessel. RK: sanniśrayatā bhājanatā.
1375. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), “pleased” (tuṣṭa) means content, “cheerful” means one’s upper body is uplifted because it is content; “gladdened” is because of having that single content feeling in mind; “delighted” is because being content increases; and “filled with joy and satisfaction” means filled with the trust that comes along with being content. RK: tuṣṭa iti prītaḥ| udagra iti tayā prītyā unnatapūrvakāyaḥ| tadekatānatvāt āttamanaskaḥ| prīter utkarṣāt pramuditaḥ| prīti sahagataḥ prasādaḥ prītisaumanasyam| tajjātam asyeti tathoktaḥ.
1376. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), he “suddenly conceived of all things as being unfounded” refers to his meditatively concentrated conception: “Just as the appearance of Dharmodgata teaching me right now—together with its causal basis—is unfounded, just so all things are not founded on the law of causality.” The second phrase in the sentence, “found himself” and so on, explains what occurred due to the power of his conception. The “meditative concentrations” (that follow below) are themselves “gateways” because they are the great means (of the Great Vehicle). RK: sarvadharmeṣv aniśritasaṃjñām iti| yathaitarhi me dharmodgatadeśanayā pratibhāsaḥ sanidānam anāśritaḥ| evaṃ hetuniyamam anāśritāḥ sarvadharmā ity enāṃ saṃjñām atyantasamāhitām| asyāḥ saṃjñāyāḥ prabhāvāt kim abhūd ity āha| tasye tyādi| samādh aya eva mukhāni mahopāyatvāt. Note: Hari gives a long explanation of the context for the subsequent fifty meditative concentrations. In that, he suggests that Sadāprarudita experiences all these profound meditative concentrations at the level of the path of preparation, based on visionary instructions he receives. Cf. Sparham, vol. 4, pp. 277–79.
1377. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), “surveying” means observing “the inherent nature of all things,” i.e., their individual characteristics. RK: sarvadharmā ṇāṃ svabhāvāḥ svalakṣaṇāni| teṣāṃ vyavalokano draṣṭā. Note: A meditative concentration is essentially a deeply focused mindset whose meditative object is framed by a particular, profound conception. In all the subsequent meditative concentrations, the translation adds “focused on” to the name of the meditative concentration and uses substantives (instead of awkward adjectival constructions) to avoid creating confusing and unmemorable names in English.
1378. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b), “not mentally perceiving” them means certainty in their nonexistence. RK: teṣāṃ anupalabdhir asattāniścayaḥ.
1379. According to Ratnākara (F.223.b–24.a), the “nondifference,” i.e., sameness “of all things,” is because their individual characteristics do not exist. The “meditative concentration” has that (nondifference) as its meditative object. And based on that sameness, which is the true nature, he sees all things as unchanging—hence the next one (right after this) is called focused on seeing of all things as unchanging. One should understand all the subsequent meditative concentrations like these two. (As it will say at the end of the long list), he is dwelling successively “in” all “these meditative concentrations.” RK: sarvadharmā ṇāṃ nirnānātvaṃ samatā svalakṣaṇānām abhāvāt| tadālambanaḥ samādhis tathoktaḥ| sā ca samatā tathatā| tayā nirvikārān sarvadharmān paśyatīti sarvadhamanirvikāradarśī| evaṃ yāvatsarvatathāgatadarśī samādhir veditavyaḥ| eṣu samādhiṣv iti krameṇa sarveṣu sthitaḥ san. Note: Ratnākara does not explain each one of the following meditative concentrations. But the idea is that they are successive and each one forms the basis for the next.
1380. According to Ratnākara (F.224.a), “ten directions” means the worlds in the ten directions that all world systems have. In those, he “saw immeasurable, innumerable blessed buddhas.” To this explanation, you might object, “The presence of a tathāgata in the same period of time is not multiple, because only one is able to bring about the benefit of all sentient beings.” We respond, “There is always only one buddha, because only he is able to ascend to infinite life. So why are we not asserting (what you want)?” You might respond, “Because others also (must be able to) come into being by force of causes.” We respond, “Then (there is no problem); it is (also) only by force of causes that infinite tathāgatas are simultaneously manifesting in infinite world systems. So what is the contradiction? The great charioteers have convincingly established that just as two universal emperors cannot coexist at the same time in a single world system with four continents, likewise two tathāgatas cannot arise at the same time in a billionfold world system.” RK: daśadiśo ’sminn iti daśadiglokaḥ sarvalokadhātava ity arthaḥ| tatra buddhān bhagavato ’prameyāsaṃkhyeyān paśyati sma| naikasmin kāle ’nekas tathāgata ekasyaiva sarvasattvārthakriyāsu śakter iti cet| nityam eka eva buddhas tasyaivānantam āyur adhiṣṭhātuṃ śakter iti kin neṣyate ? hetubalād anye pi bhavantīti cet| hetubalād eva tarhi yugapad ananteṣu lokadhātuṣv anantās tathāgatā jāyanta iti ko virodhaḥ ? yathā buddhau cakravartinau sakṛd ekatra caturdvīpake lokadhātau notpadyete niḥsapatnakarmakāritvāt tathā tathāgatau trisāhasre lokadhātāv iti mahārathaiḥ kṣuṇṇam etat.
1381. According to Ratnākara (F.224.a), “what he has done for you” means exactly what he did previously. You “should keep in mind” means you should not forget! RK: tat kṛtam iti| yad eva tena purvakṛtam| dhārayitavyaṃ cetasi na vismartavyam.
1382. According to Ratnākara (F.224.a), here a “turban” just means a fabric wrap, i.e., head cloth. RK: celaṃ vastram| tasya uṇḍukaḥ| śiraśāṭaka ity arthaḥ.
1383. This point in the chapter corresponds to the beginning of Chapter 74 in the Twenty-Five Thousand. The corresponding narrative in the Eighteen Thousand has no chapter break at this point.
1384. According to Ratnākara (F.224.a), “sorrow” means grief and “yearning” means an uneasy feeling that fuels one’s fire. RK: utkaṇṭhā śokaḥ| paritasanaṃ duḥkhāsikā kāṣṭhāgatā.
1385. According to Ratnākara (F.224.a), “appreciation” means affection for; “trust” means not being mentally muddled about the qualities he possesses; “awe” means amazement at those qualities; and “devotion” means venerating. RK: prītiḥ prema| guṇavatsu cetaso ’kāluṣyaṃ prasādaḥ| tadguṇeṣu vismayaḥ citrīkāraḥ| abhyarhaṇaṃ gauravam.
1386. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), “created a diversion” means he caused them to be alarmed (by something to capture their attention). RK: paryutthāpayām āse ti vyagrīkṛtavān.
1387. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), “a ready mind” is a mind fit to do whatever it might be, due to that very joy. Since this joy increases twofold from having that ready mind, he has a “cheerful attitude.” RK: kalyacitta iti tenaiva harṣeṇa karmaṇyacittaḥ| tataś ca dviguṇībhūtaharṣatvāt pramuditacittaḥ.
1388. RK: guṇajātiḥ manuṣyasāmānyo guṇaḥ| viśeṣas tu manuṣyātikrānto guṇaḥ.
1389. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), they “seem worthwhile” because they are appealing as something worthy of her taking action for them herself. RK: kṣamante ce ti svayaṃ kartavyatayāpi rocanāt.
1390. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), to be “sovereign” means to have power (in that domain). RK: viṣayite ti śaktiḥ.
1391. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), Sadāprarudita says “do not worry,” i.e., be concerned, because he knows Śakra’s intention (behind offering the boon). RK: viditābhiprāya āha| alpotsuka ityādi| utsuka autsukyam.
1392. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), the “moment,” “second,” and “instant” all refer to the same thing, but due to the (three) different types of faith among listeners, all three are mentioned. RK: yat tat kṣaṇaṃ lavam api tat| tan muhūrtam api tat| trayāṇām upādānaṃ tu śrotṛṇāṃ śraddhabhedāt.
1393. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), the overview is “the shine of their boldness dimmed” and the more detailed explanation follows. Take “superior” to be the cause (of their inability) “to keep up,” i.e., to catch. RK: niṣpratibhāna ity uddeśaḥ| sadāpraruditasye tyādi nirdeśaḥ| uttara iti uttaranimittam| apratipadyamāno ’labhamānaḥ. Note: The translation of Ratnākara’s comments could not be translated literally here because they were already incorporated into the main text with a different syntax.
1394. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), it was “extensive” because it was of many kinds, and it was “vast” because in each of those kinds, it seemed endless. “Wealth” means riches. RK: prabhūtāḥ prakārabāhulyāt| vipulāḥ pratiprakāram ānantyāt| bhogā arthāḥ.
1395. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b), “most excellent in the whole world” means they surpass the entire world. RK: sarvalokaviśiṣṭā iti sarvalokātikrāntāḥ.
1396. According to Ratnākara (F.228.b–29.a), the “Chapter on Dharmodgata” is the chapter characterized by the bodhisattva Dharmodgata (“Elevated by Dharma”). RK: dharmodgate na lakṣitaḥ parivartas tatparivartaḥ.
1397. This chapter corresponds in content to the second part of the narrative of Sadāprarudita’s quest to receive the transcendent state of wisdom teachings from Dharmodgata, as recounted in Chapter 75 of the Twenty-Five Thousand, and in Chapter 86 of the Eighteen Thousand (the Hundred Thousand, as witnessed in the Sanskrit and in the Tibetan of most Kangyurs, does not include the narrative). As noted above (n.1339), the accounts in the different sūtras are similar in content, but with some significant differences. Generally speaking, the versions in the Twenty-Five Thousand and Eighteen Thousand are more similar to each other than either of them is to the version here in the Eight Thousand.
1398. According to Ratnākara (F.224.b–25.a), (in logical terms) “the tathāgatas do not come or go” is the thesis. “Since the actual nature does not move” is the reason. One might then ask what the tathāgatas (i.e., tathā+āgata, literally “those who have come to the way things are”) have come to (āgatam). So he pronounces the subsequent sentences. These responses also should be considered logically admissible reasons, and all these reasons involve different synonyms of emptiness based on differences in conventional signs. RK: na khalv ityādi pratijñā| acalitā hi tathate ti hetuḥ| tathāgatānāṃ kim āgatam iti ced āha| yā ce tyādi| evamuttare ’pi hetavaḥ sasamarthanā veditavyāḥ| sarve caite hetavaḥ śūnyatāparyāyā nimittabhedāt tu bhedaḥ.
1399. According to Ratnākara (F.225.a), the “space element” is just the actual nature because it is the same as space. RK: ākāśadhātur ākāśasādharmyāt tathataiva.
1400. According to Ratnākara (F.225.a), the first of the two sentences here is a response to someone who might say that the the Tathāgata is the body shining forth with the thirty-two principal characteristics of a great person and the eighty subsidiary characteristics, but is not the actual natures (of those things) and so on. The basic idea behind this sentence is that the Tathāgata is just the absolutely pure actual nature, because (the Tathāgata’s natural body), by definition, is the body that is the nature of those things. So, after explaining that the Tathāgata is not different from these actual natures, he adds the second of the two sentences here to show that they have absolutely no difference. In this sentence, the “actual nature” refers to the emptiness of the imagined nature. The actual nature “of these very things” means the actual nature of the actual natures (of the abovementioned things). The next phrase, “of all things,” refers to the constituents of experience, the elements, and so on that belong to a tathāgata. The “same single actual nature” gives the general thesis, for which the explanation comes in the next sentence (see next note). RK: nanu dvātriṃśanmahāpuruṣalakṣaṇāśīty-anuvyañjanavirājitavigrahas tathāgato na punas tathatādaya ity ata āha| na hi kulaputrānyatre tyādi| tathataiva suviśuddhā tathāgata iti bhāvaḥ| sa hi teṣāṃ svābhāvikaḥ kāya iti nyāyaḥ| evaṃ tathatāditathāgatayor abhedam uktvā ’tyantābhedaṃ darśayitum āha| yā ce tyādi| eṣām eva dharmāṇām iti tathatādīnāṃ tathate ti parikalpitarūpaśūnyatā| yā ca sarvadharmāṇām iti skandhadhātvādīnāṃ yā ca tathāgatasya| ekaive tyādir uddeśaḥ.
1401. According to Ratnākara (F.225.a), the “same single actual nature” (see preceding note) is the general thesis, whereas here “only one nature” and so on is the explanation (of that thesis). He explains the reason (for this thesis) with the words “since the actual nature is not an existent thing.” The idea (behind it not being an existent thing) is that they are not real substances, but not that they are a nonexistent thing that accords with characteristics. Nevertheless, the coming and going of the tathāgatas is not real because they do not exist as they are imagined. But since the imagination of existence is due to an error of conception, he goes on to explain this fact by means of the examples (below). RK: ekaive tyādir uddeśaḥ| punar ekaive tyādi nirdeśaḥ| hetum āha| yadutāsattvād iti| adravyatvān na punar yathālakṣaṇam abhāvād iti bhāvaḥ| punas tathāgatānām agatigaty or abhāvaṃ yathākalpanam asattvāt| punas tathāgatānām agatigaty or abhāvaṃ yathākalpanam asattvāt| bhāvakalpanā tu saṃjñāviparyāsād iti dṛṣṭāntaiḥ pratipādayitum āha| tadyathāpī tyādi. Note: Ratnākara is explaining that the actual nature is “not an existent thing” in the same way that, for instance, a mirage might be said to not be an existent thing, because it has no real water substance in it, but not because the characteristics of water don’t appear to be there. In other words, the water is not found to exist as imagined when mistaking the mirage for a real body of water.
1402. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), here one should understand the term “bodies of the truth” (dharmakāya) to mean the bodies of the true natures of things (dharmatākāya). RK: dharmākāyā iti dharma tākāyāḥ. Note: In other contexts where appropriate, Ratnākara will want us to understanding the same term dharmakāya to mean the “body of qualities.”
1403. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), here the word “actuality” means reality. The dream is a “false representation” means it is deceptive because it seems like reality. For this very reason, he speaks of it as “not real” below. RK: pariniṣpattir iti bhūtatvam| muṣāvādas tatsādharmyān vañcaka ity arthaḥ| ata evāha abhūta iti.
1404. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), they do not “appear” from the ocean means they are not mentally perceived. RK: prabhāvyante upalabhyante.
1405. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), the “physical actualization” includes (a buddha’s) final birth in existence (prior to awakening). It does “not go anywhere” at the time of passing into nirvāṇa. RK: kāyapariniṣpattiḥ caramabhavasaṃgṛhītā| nāpi kvacid gacchatī ti parinirvāṇakāle.
1406. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), it “does not exist anywhere” means it does not go to any place after passing into nirvāṇa. RK: na kvacid astī ti parinirvāya yatra gacchati.
1407. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), here, the word “cause” means the substantive cause, whereas “conditions” means the contributing causes. Of these, some scholars say the substantive cause (of sound) here refers to the subtle atomic particles (in general), whereas other scholars say it refers to only the subtle atomic particle of “wind-energy.” With respect to this (lute), the substantive cause is the (sound board) covered by the strings in the lower part of a lute, as the strings are secondary for its resounding. The “sound does not emanate” from beginning to end, (which includes) the sound in the middle, as the referent with a logical connection to everything (else). RK: hetur upādānakāraṇaṃ| pratyayāḥ sahakāriṇaḥ| tatra śabdasyopādānaṃ śabdaparamāṇava ity eke| vāyuparamāṇava ity apare| tatra upadhānī tantrī veṣṭanaṃ ca kulikā| upavāṇyo ’pradhānaṃ tantrayaḥ| ādyantayoḥ na śabdo niścaratī ti vacanaṃ madhye sarvatrasambandhanārtham.
1409. According to Ratnākara (225.b), here the word “agitated” means stirred up; “obscured” means lost in darkness. RK: saṃkṣobhitāni saṃpracalitāni| jihmībhūtāni naṣṭacchāyāni.
1410. According to Ratnākara (225.b), he “lay his own body prostrate before Dharmodgata” means he fell to the ground with his whole body (lying prostrate) in front of him. RK: svakena kāyena dharmodgatam abhicchādayati sme ti tasyāgrataḥ sarvakāyena bhūmau patati smety arthaḥ.
1411. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), “celestial” means arising from the sky. RK: divyam ity ākāśabhavam.
1412. According to Ratnākara (F.225.b), what he “carefully considered,” i.e., reflected about, was (mainly) the lack of water to sprinkle on the dusty earth. RK: pṛthivī sekavaimukhyam iti pratisaṃkhyāye ti evaṃ nirūpya.
1413. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), the word “specifically” is highlighting the particular details of what was signified generically (only in the previous sentence)—in this case, it means he teaches (the transcendent state of wisdom) through (the following) thirty aspects. For this very reason, we should read (below) the thirty meditative concentrations that arise for the bodhisattva Sadāprarudita with these thirty aspects to have arisen for him by force of listening to (the teaching on) the transcendent state of wisdom. RK: yaduta śabdaḥ sāmānyenoddiṣṭasya viśeṣaṃ dyotayati| ebhis triṃśatā ākārair ity arthaḥ| ata evāsyāḥ śrutabalenotpannā| ebhir eva triṃśatākāraiḥ sadāpraruditasya bodhisattvasyotpannās triṃśatsamādhayaḥ paṭhiṣyante.
1414. According to Ratnākara (F.228.b), “one should know” is connected to all the following statements, because they (must be) lit up within (one’s experience, not merely intellectual). RK: veditavye ty ante yat paṭhyate tatsarvadharmasamatādivākyeṣu sarveṣu sambadhyate ’ntardīpakatvāt. Note: Due to Sanskrit word order, “one should know” (veditavya) appears in the text at the end of the series of statements that follow. But in English word order, Ratnākara’s comments can be understood best here.
1415. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), the “sameness of the transcendent state of wisdom” is with respect to all things. Why is that? It says “since all things are a sameness,” i.e., since the “transcendent state of wisdom” is the absolute dimension of all things as its objective scope, and since that is the same with respect to all things. RK: prajñāpāramitā yāḥ samatā sarvadharmeṣu| kutaḥ? sarvadharmasamatayā| sā hi dharmadhātvālambanā| sa ca samānaḥ sarvadharmeṣu.
1416. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), since all things are “void” of their own individual characteristics, the transcendent state of wisdom also is void of the appearance of any individual characteristics. RK: yataḥ sarvadharmāḥ svalakṣaṇair viviktāḥ| ataḥ sāpi viviktā svalakṣaṇapratibhāsaiḥ.
1417. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), “since all things are not moving”—i.e., because they are void—the transcendent state of wisdom also is not moving because it is void. RK: yataḥ sarvadharmā na vivekāc calanti| tataḥ sāpi na vivekāc calati.
1418. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), “all things are free of creating conceits” about anything because they lack any inherent nature. Therefore, the transcendent state of wisdom also is free of creating conceits. RK: amananā hi sarvadharmāḥ| na te kiñcin manyante niḥsvabhāvatvāt| tataḥ sāpy amananā.
1419. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), “all things” do not move because they are void, and hence “are not stopped” by anything at all. Nevertheless, things are, by nature, immovable in the void, and hence the transcendent state of wisdom is immovable too. RK: na hi vivekāc calanti sarvadharmāḥ kenāpi stambhitāḥ| kiṃ tarhi prakṛtyaiva viveke sthirās tataḥ prajñāpāramitāpi sthirā.
1420. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), “all things have a single flavor” since all things have the single flavor of the actual nature, because they lack their own individual characteristics. Similarly, the transcendent state of wisdom also has a single flavor because individual characteristics do not appear (in it). RK: sarvadharm āṇām ekarasatayā tathataikarasā hi sarvadharmāḥ svalakṣaṇānām abhāvāt| tadvat prajñāpāramitāpi svalakṣaṇānām apratibhāsāt.
1421. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), to explain, the two “limits” are the beginning point and ending point, and all things have neither of those two limits, because the past and future do not exist. Therefore, “all things have no limits,” and likewise the transcendent state of wisdom does not have them either. RK: tathā hi dvau paryantau pūrvā ca koṭir aparā ca| tau ca na staḥ sarvadharmāṇām| atītānagatayor asattvāt| tasmād aparyantāḥ sarvadharmāḥ| tadvat prajñāpāramitāpi.
1422. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), to explain, “all things” have no inherent nature. Hence, like the horns of a mule, they do not arise. Thus, they are “free of arising,” and likewise the transcendent state of wisdom is too. RK: tathā hi niḥsvabhāvāḥ sarvadharmāḥ| tasmān notpadyante kharaviṣāṇavat| tasmād anutpādāḥ| tadvat prajñāpāramitāpi.
1423. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), “all things are free of ceasing” means they do not cease due to their nonexistence (in the first place), like the horns of a mule. Likewise, the transcendent state of wisdom does not cease either. RK: sarvadharmā ṇām anirodha tayā| na hy amī nirudhyante ’sattvāt kharaviṣāṇavat| tadvat prajñāpāramitāpi.
1424. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b), the “sky is limitless” because it has no limit in the ten directions or the three times. The same is true of the transcendent state of wisdom, because, in being connected to the ten directions and three times, she reveals all things to be the actual nature alone. RK: gaganāparyantatayā| tathā hi gaganasya nāsti paryanto daśasu dikṣu triṣu cādhveṣu| evaṃ prajñāpāramitāyāḥ| yā daśadiktraiyadhvikā sarvadharmatathatāmātraprathanāt.
1425. According to Ratnākara (F.226.b–27.a), in all the world systems of the ten directions, just as the sky has no end, how much more so for the oceans in those endless world systems, thus proving the limitlessness of the ocean. The same is true for the transcendent state of wisdom. To explain: The actual nature of the oceans, all things, and the transcendent state of wisdom are all the same single actual nature. And the transcendent state of wisdom has that actual nature as its objective scope. So this proves that the transcendent state of wisdom is limitless in the way that the ocean is limitless. RK: samudrāparyantatayā prajñāpāramitāparyantate ti| yathā hy ākāśasya nāsty antas tathaiva daśadiglokadhātūnāṃ kim punar ananteṣu lokadhātuṣu samudrāṇām| tataḥ siddhā samudrāparyantatā| tadvat prajñāpāramitāyāḥ| tathā hi yā teṣāṃ samudrāṇāṃ tathatā yā ca sarvadharmāṇāṃ yā ca prajñāpāramitāyāḥ, ekaivaiṣā tathatā| tathatālambanā ca prajñāpāramitā| tasmāt samudrāparyantatayā prajñāpāramitāparyantateti siddham.
1426. According to Ratnākara (F.227.a), since space by nature has a single flavor, it is the dominant (condition for) the multifaceted sides of Mount Meru. Hence, just as it appears in a multifaceted way, just so the actual nature and the transcendent state of wisdom—which has the actual nature as its objective scope—have only a single flavor and are not (themselves) multifaceted. However, the thing that is imagining the unreal appears multifaceted in the knowing of (things) being like a dream and so on. Therefore, the knowing of (things) being like a dream or like an illusion is at the conventional level. This is taught to introduce beings to the ultimate knowing free of appearances. Nonconceptualization—which is the state after (the meditation’s) freedom from appearance—refers to the certainty about what was experienced (just previously in the meditative state free of appearance). Therefore it is proved that the transcendent state of wisdom (in the post-meditative worldly state) “is multifaceted just as Mount Meru is multifaceted.” RK: yathā hy ekarasam ākāśaṃ prakṛtyā tathāpi merupārśvānāṃ vicitrāṇām ādhipatyāt tadvad eva vicitraṃ khyāti| evam ekarasaiva tathatā na vicitrā| tathatālambanā ca prajñāpāramitā| yas tu svapnopamādijñāne vicitrapratibhāsaḥ so ’bhūtaparikalpadharmaḥ| tasmāt svapnopamamāyopamādijñānaṃ saṃvṛtiḥ| nirābhāse yā ca parimārthike jñāne sattvanām avatāraṇāya nirdiśyate, nirābhāsapṛṣṭhabhāvī cāvikalpo ’yaṃ tadanubhūtaniścayārthaḥ| tasmāt siddham idaṃ meruvicitratayā prajñāpāramitāvicitrate ti. Note: The translation of Sanskrit vicitra as “multifaceted” has been used throughout these comments because Mount Meru is the point of comparison. Ratnākara takes the word more broadly here to be meaning “variety” and “diversity” of appearances. In his philosophical system, this diversity of appearances is a conventional reality that appears only out of cognitive error and conceptualization.
1427. According to Ratnākara (F.227.a–b), “the transcendent state of wisdom does not fabricate” anything because it has transcended conceptualization (i.e., fabrication). As an example, “the sky does not fabricate” because it is inanimate (and hence cannot fabricate, i.e., conceptualize). You might say, “Fine, but if the transcendent state of wisdom is not animate (ajaḍa), then why does it not conceptualize?” It is taught in this scripture that conceptualization is an error, but the transcendent state of wisdom is error-free. Thus, it is proven that the transcendent state of wisdom does not conceptualize. RK: prajñāpāramitā yā yākalpanatā na sā kiñcid vikalpayati vikalpapāragatatvāt| tadyathā gaganaṃ na kiñcid vikalpayati jaḍatvāt| ajaḍā prajñāpāramitā kin na vikalpayatīti cet| uktam atra| vikalpaś ca bhrāntir abhrāntā ca sā| tasmān na vikalpayatīti siddham.
1428. According to Ratnākara (F.227.b), since space is limitless, the constituents of experience are too, because where there is no physical form, there automatically can be no darkness or illumination (of that form). Likewise, since it appears in relation to the actual nature of the qualities belonging to those (physical forms and so on), the “transcendent state of wisdom is limitless.” Since we explained that the transcendent state of wisdom has no limit just as the ocean has none, we should explain it, due to the endlessness of beings, as also the limitlessness of feelings, conceptions, consciousness, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, the air element, the space element, and the consciousness element. One might ask, “What is the difference (in this list here) between the limitlessness of consciousness as a constituent of experience and as an element? The two terms “constituent of experience” (skandha) and “element” (dhātu) are applied (contextually and thus frame consciousness differently). RK: rūpāparyantatayā prajñāpāramitāparyantate ti| yathā hy ākāśam aparyantaṃ tathārūpaskandho ’pi| yatrānyad rūpaṃ nāsti tatrāvaśyaṃ tamaḥ prakāśo vāsti| tadvat tadīyatathatāpratibhāsinī prajñāpāramitā py aparyantatā| yathaiva samudrāparyantatayā prajñāpāramitāparyantatā ’smābhir vyākhyātā tathaiva sattvānām ānantyāt vedanāparyantatayāpi saṃskāraparyantatayāpi vijñānāparyantatayāpi pṛthivīdhātvaparyantatayāpi apdhātvaparyantatayāpi tejodhātvaparyantatayāpi vāyudhātvaparyantatayāpi ākāśadhātvaparyantatayāpi vijñānadhātvaparyantatayāpi vyākhyātavyā| atha yā vijñānaskandhāparyantatayā yā ca vijñānadhātvaparyantatayā tayoḥ ko viśeṣaḥ ? skandhadhātuśabdābhyāṃ prayogakṛtaḥ.
1429. According to Ratnākara (F.227.b–28.a), here, due to bearing (the quality of) a mindset, the (vajra-like) “dharma” refers to the (vajra-like) meditative concentration. The transcendent state of wisdom’s “sameness” is due to that vajra-like meditative concentration’s “sameness” with regard to all things. RK: cittadhāraṇād dharmaḥ samādhiḥ| tasya yā sarvadharmeṣu samatā tayopamānena prajñāpāramitā yāḥ samatā.
1430. According to Ratnākara (F.228.a), “all things are free of differentiation” means they are not a distinction, because the differentiations lack individual characteristics. Likewise, the transcendent state of wisdom also is not a distinction, because it has no (differentiations) in terms of a particular nature being experienced. RK: sarvadharmeṣu sarvadharmāsambhedanatayā prajñāpāramitāsambhedanat eti sarvadharmāṇām asambhedo abhedaḥ| bhedakānāṃ svalakṣaṇānām abhāvāt| tadvat prajñāpāramitāyā api na bhedaḥ| samvedyamānenaiva rūpeṇa teṣāṃ tasyām abhāvāt.
1431. According to Ratnākara (F.228.a), “all things” do not mentally perceive anything (a) because physical form is inanimate, (b) because all other things are connected to a subject grasping (that physical form) in relation to oneself or other, and (c) because, as the subject grasping does not exist, those things cannot be mentally perceiving (anything other than it). Likewise, the “transcendent state of wisdom” too neither mentally perceives nor is mentally perceived. Therefore, things and the transcendent state of wisdom are both free of mental perception. RK: sarvadharmā na kiñcid upalabhante| rūpasya jaḍatvāt| śeṣāṇām apy ātmani paratra vā grāhakatvāyogāt| nāpy upalabhyante grāhakābhāvāt| tadvat prajñāpāramitā pi nopalabhate nāpyupalabhyate| tasmāt teṣāṃ tasyāś cānupalabdhitā.
1432. According to Ratnākara (F.228.a), “clarifying” means showing to others through words. A clarification is not found to exist for any things. Therefore, those things are the “same as the freedom from clarification.” Likewise, the transcendent state of wisdom is the “same as the freedom from clarification” with regard to all objective scopes. RK: prajñāpāramitāvibhāvanāsamat eti| vibhāvanāṃ parebhyo vācā deśanā| sā sarvadharmāṇāṃ na vidyate tasmād avibhāvanayā samatā teṣām| tadvat sarvālambaneṣu prajñāpāramitāyā avibhāvanāsamatā. Note: This translation “freedom from clarification” (avibhāvanā) is based on Ratnākara’s comments. The Sanskrit edition of Mitra (copied in Wogihara and Vaidya) has an error, reading abhibhāvanā. Hari does not comment on the term, but while Ratnākara’s comments confirm his reading of avibhāvanā, his comments in Tibetan translation are confusing: the translation has him using rnam par ’jig pa med pa in his explanation, but its apparent opposite rnam par ’jig pa when citing the words of the scripture. It is the latter reading that conforms to the wording of the scripture in all Kangyurs—both here and in the list of meditative concentrations that follows. The Sanskrit term vibhāvana has a complex range of meanings, and for more on the difficulties associated with the Tibetan interpretations of this term, see glossary, and also n.267 in the Twenty-Five Thousand.
1433. According to Ratnākara (F.228.a), in this context “function” refers to operation. “All things” do not operate. How then could anything arise from anywhere? It arises from mere conditions, to the extent that the law of causality is, “When one thing is present, another thing comes to be. When one thing is absent, another thing ceases to be.” Therefore, things are free of functioning, and the transcendent state of wisdom is too. RK: ceṣṭā īhāvyāpāraḥ| avyāpāraḥ sarvadharmāḥ| kathaṃ tarhi kaścit kutaścid utpadyate ? idaṃ pratyayamātreṇa| asmin satīdaṃ bhavati, asati na bhavatītyetāvatā hetuphalabhāvaḥ| tasmād amī niśceṣṭāḥ tadvat prajñāpāramitāpi.
1434. According to Ratnākara (F.228.b), “things” are never signified to others since words have no (real) scope (as explained previously). So, they themselves cannot be conceived of or described, since speech and concept have a single referent (namely, a generic mental image, not a particular one). Similarly, the “transcendent state of wisdom is inconceivable.” RK: yathā hi dharmāḥ parebhyo na deśyante nirviṣayatvād vācaḥ| tathā svayam api na cintyante na nirūpyante vāgvikalpayor ekārthatvāt| tadvat prajñāpāramitā py acintyā.
1435. According to Ratnākara (F.228.b), “now” means at the end of this teaching. “While he was still sitting” means he had not yet arisen from the seat where he was been listening. “There” means (in) the completed general teaching and its explanation. “At that time” means, in brief, those stages and aspects with which the transcendent state of wisdom was taught arose for him as the thirty meditative concentrations (described below). RK: atha khalv ityādi| athe ti deśanāparisamāptau| tathāniṣaṇṇasyaive ti śrutāsanād anutthitasya| tathe ty uddeśaḥ kṛtaḥ| tasyaiva nirdeśaḥ| tasyāṃ velāyām iti| yenaiva krameṇa yair evākāraiḥ prajñāpāramitā deśitā tenaiva krameṇa tair evākārais triṃśatsamādhaya utpannā iti samudāyārthaḥ.
1436. According to Ratnākara (F.228.b), the meditative concentrations are called what they are called because their meditative perspectives (ākāra) are “all things as a sameness” and so on. How are these perspectives? Because one is aware of things through these modes (of seeing). As it is said, “A meditative perspective is of the modes of being aware of things. This is the defining characteristic.” Then what is the meditative reference point (ālambana)? It is merely each thing on its own account. Alternatively, (one can also understand the names of the meditative concentrations), such as all things as a sameness and so on, themselves as the meditative reference points, because the meditative concentrations are what take those meditative objects as their reference point. That is to say, a meditative object is a meditative support. So (in this way of understanding it), the meditative perspective would be the freedom from conventional signs and so on (on which each one is focused). These thirty “meditative concentrations are the main ones.” How could they be “main”? Because these are indicative of all the others, i.e., the (six) million meditative concentrations (that he experienced). RK: atha khalv ityādi| athe ti deśanāparisamāptau| tathāniṣaṇṇasyaive ti śrutāsanād anutthitasya| tathe ty uddeśaḥ kṛtaḥ| tasyaiva nirdeśaḥ| tasyāṃ velāyām iti| yenaiva krameṇa yair evākāraiḥ prajñāpāramitā deśitā tenaiva krameṇa tair evākārais triṃśatsamādhaya utpannā iti samudāyārthaḥ| tatra sarvadharmasamatā dyākāratvāt samādhayas tathā vyapadiśyante| katham amī ākārāḥ ? ebhiḥ prakārair vastujñānāt| yathoktam—vastujñānaprakārāṇām ākāra iti lakṣaṇam|iti| kiṃ tarhy ālambanam ? tad eva vastu yathāsvam| athavā sarvadharmasamatā dir evālambanam| tadālambanatvāt samādhayas tathoktāḥ| vastūny adhiṣṭhāni| ākāro yathāsvaṃ nirnimittatādiḥ| evaṃ pramukhānī ti triṃśatsamādhipramukhāni| katham eṣāṃ pramukhatvam ? ebhir avaśeṣāṇām ākṣepāt śatasahasrāṇī ti lakṣāṇi.
1437. This chapter corresponds to Chapter 76 of the Twenty-Five Thousand, and Chapter 87 of the Eighteen Thousand. The Hundred Thousand as witnessed in the Sanskrit and in the Tibetan of most Kangyurs does not include corresponding content.
1438. According to Ratnākara (F.230.a), the “Chapter of Entrustment” is the chapter that expresses the entrustment. RK: parīndanā bhidhāyī parivartaḥ parīndanāparivartaḥ.
1439. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a), the Blessed One says “at the same that he attained” and so on to describe the benefits of what arose at the time of those meditative concentrations that he attained. For this reason, the words “at that time” mean to express the simultaneity with when he attained them. “These very methods” refers to the previously taught topics, i.e., the eight clear realizations. “These words” refers to the state of complete knowing of all aspects and so on. RK: sahapratilabdhānām ityādi| anena labdhānāṃ samādhīnāṃ tatkālajam anuśaṃsam āha| ata eva saha śabdaḥ samānakālatārthaḥ| pratilabdhānām iti pratilabdheṣu satsu| ebhir eva nayer iti yathoktavastubhir aṣṭābhir abhisamayaiḥ| ebhir eva nāmabhir iti sarvākārajñatādibhiḥ.
1440. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a), “in all his births, he was never separate from the buddhas” is the general overview. The detailed explanation of it comes in the following passage up to “in the midst of sleep.” RK: sarvāsu ca jātiṣu na jātu buddhavirahito ’bhūd ity uddeśaḥ| asya nirdeśa uttaro granthaḥ svapnāntaragatopī ti yāvat.
1441. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a), this sentence is the introduction to the entrustment. “Also through this Dharma teaching” means also through the story of Sadāprarudita. RK: tatra khalv ityādir upodghātaḥ parīndanāyāḥ| tad anenāpi paryāyeṇai ti sadāpraruditavṛttāntenāpi.
1442. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a), what is the purpose for the words “through the Tathāgata’s blessings”? It is to show that due to its great value and the many obstacles (that come with that value), one cannot even write out the blessed transcendent state of wisdom without the blessings of the buddhas. RK: atra ca tathāgatādhiṣṭhānene ti vacanaṃ kim artham ? mahārthatvād bhagavatī bahvantarāyā ca vinā buddhādhiṣṭhānena likhitum api na śakyeti pradarśanārtham.
1443. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a), “this is our admonition to you” means this is our entrustment to you, or in other words you should act to ensure that studying the scripture and so on is not interrupted. RK: iyam asmākam anuśāsanī tīyam asmākaṃ parīndanā| yathā asyāḥ śravaṇādikaṃ na vicchidyate tathā tvayā kartavyam ity arthaḥ.
1444. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a), “Why is that?” asks what is the purpose for this entrusting. The purpose is then explained in the following sentence. RK: tatkasya hetor iti| tatparīndanaṃ kena prayojanenety arthaḥ| ata āha| atra hī tyādi.
1445. According to Ratnākara (F.229.a–b), the introduction of the second entrustment begins with this question. RK: tatkim ityādinā dvītīyaparīndanāyā upodghātaḥ.
1446. According to Ratnākara (F.229.b), “this assemblage belonging to me” means my body. RK: asmin mama samucchaya iti mama śarīre.
1447. According to Ratnākara (F.229.b), “exactly so” means “with appreciation” and so on. With these words, he gives two entrustments, since he says “a second time, and also a third time.” The words “I entrust” means I am giving it to you; “I transmit” means I am giving it to you with our minds in agreement. Why is he entrusting it? He says “to ensure that …” and so on. The “other persons” refers to those without his devotion. RK: tathaiva iti| etat premā dikam| etenopodghātena dve parīndane| yata āha dvir api trir apī ti| parīndāmī ti samarpayāmi| anuparīndamī ty ānukūlyaṃ samarpayāmi| kathaṃ parīndanety ata āha yatheyam ityādi| anyaḥ puruṣa ity abhaktaḥ.
1448. According to Ratnākara (F.229.b), to highlight the end of the blessed Transcendent State of Wisdom, the reciter of this scripture says “as the Blessed One taught this” and so on. “This” refers to the Transcendent State of Wisdom scripture that he has just taught. The “Blessed One” means the teacher. The tathāgatas delight in benefiting others. The teaching is for the benefit of others and brings benefit to others. So, the reciter of the scripture says “with delight in his heart,” i.e., he is pleased with having taught the unexcelled Dharma teaching. How much more are the listeners made pleased? He says they “rejoiced in what the Blessed One had taught,” i.e., one after another they rejoiced in the deed performed. The same (rejoicing) can generally be applied to desire at any time or to happiness at any time. That is to say, when one is in happiness, then taking that very (happiness) as an object is a deed (to be rejoiced in or dedicated). But this deed is “what the Blessed One had taught,” i.e., this very teaching. But who were the listeners? The reciter says “they all” and so on. Here, “the world” refers to the multitude of beings (in it). Also, since the listeners and Rājagṛha are mentioned, one might assume the beings to be just a group of “humans” alone. But to counter that assumption, he distinguishes “gods, humans, asuras, garuḍas, and gandharvas.” So one should include them—i.e., the bodhisattvas and the gods and so on—as those in “the world.” RK: bhagavatyāḥ parisamāptim udyotayan saṅgītikāra āha| idam avocad ityādi| idam iti prajñāpāramitāsūtram| avocad iti bhāṣitavān| bhagavān iti śāstā| parārtharasikās tathāgatāḥ| parārthaṃś ca parārthakriyā bhagavatyā deśanā| tata āha| āttamanā iti| niruttaradharmadeśanayā prītaḥ sann ity arthaḥ| śrotāraḥ kimu kurvann ityāha| bhagavato bhāṣitam abhyanandann iti| abhipūrvo nandiḥ sakarmakaḥ| sa kadācidabhilāṣe vartate| kadācitprītau| yadā prītau tadā tadālambanam evāsya karma bhavati| tat punaḥ karma bhagavato bhāṣitam| eṣaiva deśanā| ke punas te śrotāra ity āha| te cetyādi| lokaḥ sattvasamūhaḥ| sa ca śrotṝṇāṃ rājagṛhasya ca prakṛtatvān manuṣya samūha eva kevalo gamyeta| tathā mā bhūd iti viśeṣaṇaṃ kriyate| sadevamānuṣāsuragandharvaś ceti| te ca bodhisattvādayaḥ sadevādiś ca loka iti samuccayaḥ.
1449. As many readers will recognize, this is a translation of the famous formula ye dharmā hetuprabhāvā hetusteṣāṃ tathāgato hyavadat/ teṣāṃ ca yo nirodha evaṃvādī mahāśramaṇaḥ first pronounced by the disciple Asvajit, as a summary of the Buddha’s teaching, to Śāriputra before the latter first met the Buddha (see The Chapter on Going Forth, 1.292) sometimes called “the essence of dependent arising” (rten ’brel snying po). The formula in Sanskrit and Pali has acquired the status of a dhāraṇī, and is ubiquitous in Buddhist Asia as a seal at the end of texts, rolled into scrolls in stūpas, or used in rituals (sometimes with oṁ at the beginning and svāhā at the end).
1450. dpal lha btsan po bkra shis lha sde btsan—the name of a tenth-century ruler in Western Tibet, either a predecessor or successor of Lha Lama Yeshé Ö. See van der Kuijp 1992.
1451. Tentative translation of che long zhig gtan la phab.