Loading translation...
The story of the Buddha spending a rainy season retreat in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three in order to teach his mother, who had been reborn there, is found relatively widely in Buddhist literature. It is found, for example, in the eighty-sixth story of the Avadānaśataka (Toh 343). It is also found in the nidāna of the Atthasālinī, the commentary attributed to Buddhaghosa on the Dhammasaṅgaṇī, the first of the seven canonical works of the Theravāda Abhidharma. Unique to the Theravāda version of the story is that the Buddha is said to have spent the rainy season retreat in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three teaching the Abhidharma for the first time, to an assembly of gods led by his mother.
Though the use of this organizing principle and pedagogical device is found in a number of Mahāyāna sūtras, there are also five sūtras in the Kangyur (Toh 248–252) that are explicitly named for and organized around the presentation of such sets of four qualities: The Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa (Toh 248), The Sūtra Teaching the Four Factors (Toh 249), The Four Factors (Toh 250), The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra on the Four Factors (Toh 251), and The Fourfold Accomplishment (Toh 252). For more on the use of numbered lists in sūtra literature and, in particular, the use of lists with four items, see the introduction to The Accomplishment of the Sets of Four Qualities: The Bodhisattvas’ Prātimokṣa (Toh 248), i.3.
On its own, “acceptance” refers specifically to the bodhisattvas’ “acceptance that phenomena are unborn” (Tib. mi skye ba’i chos la bzod pa; Skt. anutpattikadharmakṣānti). This is the realization that all phenomena are unproduced and empty. It sustains bodhisattvas on the difficult path of benefiting all beings so that they do not succumb to the goal of personal liberation.
This translation follows the reading in Y, K: chos kyi dung chen po ’bud par ’dod pa rnams. D duplicates the preceding line with a single variant that does not alter the meaning (rnga chen po in place of the preceding line’s rnga bo che chen po). N and H omit the line entirely.
The four qualities appear to be (1) being “skilled in understanding all phenomena without clinging to any of them”; (2) seeing, knowing, understanding, and directly perceiving “all phenomena to be equal to space”; (3) relating to “all phenomena in harmony with their true nature”; and (4) not perceiving “any other phenomenon besides the sphere of reality,” or the “true nature” of phenomena.
Note that in the previous paragraph “skilled” renders mkhas, and here “wise ones” renders mkhas pa. This paragraph, in other words, glosses the meaning of “skilled” in the first of the four qualities that bodhisattvas possess.
Tibetan: chos thams cad ni bdag nyid kyi kun nas slong bas kun nas bslang ba ste. This translation is tentative. In context, the sense seems to be that phenomena “arise by arising based on [misperceiving or clinging to] a self.”
Tibetan: chos kyang ston la chos kyi ’du shes med. To make the potential wordplay clearer, this might be rendered, “They teach the Dharma but do not perceive dharmas.” Alternatively, this might be read to mean that “they teach the Dharma without any perception of the Dharma.”
As noted above, the sense here seems to be that phenomena “arise from [misperceiving or clinging to] a self.”
This translation reflects an emendation, since the Tibetan reads nams kyang rna bas mig ni mthong ba med (“the ears never perceive the eyes”), which is not what we would expect here in a verse summation of the prose portion, and also redundant, since the following line is substantially the same (rna ba yis ni nams kyang mig mi mthong). There are no relevant recorded variants for this line in the Comparative Edition.
These four are related to the bodhisattva’s skill in means, but it is difficult to specifically identify the four with certainty in what follows. One possibility is that the four are (1) pacifying suffering, (2) joining beings and phenomena to the mind set on awakening, (3) rejoicing, and (4) dedication.
Note that the Tibetan rlom pa med has been rendered both by “do not think” and “do not make assumptions.”
Tibetan: bdag dang de bzhin rnam gsum mi mthong na. This translation is tentative. Note that we have read rnam gsum (literally “three factors,” “three facets,” or “three aspects”) as equivalent to ’khor gsum (“three spheres”), referring to self/subject, other/object, and action.
Translated based on Q, J, K, N, C, and H: sems gang gis de bzhin gshegs pa mthong ba’i sems de ni ’gags shing med par gyur te mthong bar mi nus so. D: sems can gang gis de bzhin gshegs pa ma mthong ba’i sems de ni ’gags shing med par gyur te mthong bar mi nus so.
Presumably the use of the plural here refers to the fact that the Buddha and his hearers appear in multiple locations simultaneously.
Tibetan: kha cig tu ni mngon par rdzogs par sangs rgyas/kha cig tu ni da dung ma’i mngal na gnas/kha cig tu ni dga’ ldan gyi gnas na ’dug/kha cig tu ni yongs su mya ngan las ’das par ngas yang dag par shes so. Y reads des rather than ngas, which is the reading adopted here.
“Skillfully eloquent” renders legs par bshad kyis byang bar byed pa. This translation is tentative.
Tibetan: byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod ces bya ba’i chos kyi rnam grangs kyi gzungs kyi rdo rje’i tshig.
Tibetan: thams cad mkhyen pa nyid kyi sems dang blo gros su blo gros gcig go. This translation is tentative.
“Perfectly healthy physical constitution” renders zo bdog yang bar ’byur ro. This translation adopts the reading in Y, K, and H (zo mdog in place of zo bdog).
Tibetan: de na grong dang grong khyer gyi yongs su ’dzin pa med de. This translation is tentative.
“Inconceivable understanding” renders bsam gyis mi khyab pa’i ’jug pa. This might also be rendered, e.g., “inconceivable engagement.”
Tibetan: de bzhin gshegs pa de ni byang chub sems dpa’ lnga las kyi sgrib pas der skyes te. This translation is tentative.
There is a play on words here that is lost in translation, as the same verb in Tibetan—yang dag par snang—can mean both “shine” and “appear,” as it has been rendered in this analogy.
“Concepts” renders kun du brtags pa, while “imputations” renders yongs su brtags pa. It should be noted that the semantic range of these two terms overlaps and is difficult to fully capture in English.
Tibetan: sems can du smos pa gang yin pa’i sems can gyi khams. This translation is tentative.
Tibetan: sems can gang sems can du bsdu bas bsdus shing smos pa’i sems can kyi khams rnams. This translation is tentative.
One of the three gateways to liberation; the ultimate absence of marks and signs in perceived objects.
One of the three gateways to liberation; the ultimate absence of any wish, desire, or aspiration, even those directed toward buddhahood.
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.
An ancient country whose territory spanned parts of what is today eastern Bihar and West Bengal.
A type of nonhuman being whose precise status is subject to different views, but is included as one of the six classes of beings in the sixfold classification of realms of rebirth. In the Buddhist context, asuras are powerful beings said to be dominated by envy, ambition, and hostility. They are also known in the pre-Buddhist and pre-Vedic mythologies of India and Iran, and feature prominently in Vedic and post-Vedic Brahmanical mythology, as well as in the Buddhist tradition. In these traditions, asuras are often described as being engaged in interminable conflict with the devas (gods).
The son of one of the seven brahmins who predicted that Śākyamuni would become a great king. He was one of the five companions with Śākyamuni in the beginning of his spiritual path, abandoning him when he gave up asceticism, but then becoming one of his first five pupils after his buddhahood. He was the last of the five to attain the realization of a “stream entrant” and became an arhat on hearing the Sūtra on the Characteristics of Selflessness (Anātmalakṣaṇasūtra), which was not translated into Tibetan. Aśvajit was the one who went to meet Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana so they would become followers of the Buddha.
A king ruling in a world system to the northeast.
A precious stone frequently used in Buddhist analogies.
A park in Supreme Excellence where the buddha Possessing Multicolored Flowers resides.
A high-ranking deity presiding over a divine world; he is also considered to be the lord of the Sahā world (our universe). Though not considered a creator god in Buddhism, Brahmā occupies an important place as one of two gods (the other being Indra/Śakra) said to have first exhorted the Buddha Śākyamuni to teach the Dharma. The particular heavens found in the form realm over which Brahmā rules are often some of the most sought-after realms of higher rebirth in Buddhist literature. Since there are many universes or world systems, there are also multiple Brahmās presiding over them. His most frequent epithets are “Lord of the Sahā World” (sahāṃpati) and Great Brahmā (mahābrahman).
A god.
A buddha.
A god.
In Buddhist usage, a general term for non-Buddhist religious mendicants, often occurring together with parivrājakas and nirgranthas in stock lists of followers of non-Buddhist movements.
The essentially pure nature of mind is obscured and afflicted by various psychological defilements, which destroy the mind’s peace and composure and lead to unwholesome deeds of body, speech, and mind, acting as causes for continued existence in saṃsāra. Included among them are the primary afflictions of desire (rāga), anger (dveṣa), and ignorance (moha). It is said that there are eighty-four thousand of these negative mental qualities, for which the eighty-four thousand categories of the Buddha’s teachings serve as the antidote.
Kleśa is also commonly translated as “negative emotions,” “disturbing emotions,” and so on. The Pāli kilesa, Middle Indic kileśa, and Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit kleśa all primarily mean “stain” or “defilement.” The translation “affliction” is a secondary development that derives from the more general (non-Buddhist) classical understanding of √kliś (“to harm,“ “to afflict”). Both meanings are noted by Buddhist commentators.
One of the three realms of saṃsāra, it is comprised of the traditional six realms of saṃsāra, from the hell realm to the realm of the gods, including the human realm. Rebirth in this realm is characterized by intense cravings via the five senses and their objects.
Trees in Gandhavati whose fragrance is diffused in a ten league radius.
A world system in the intermediate southwestern direction where the buddha named Radiating Light dwells.
A world system in the east where the buddha named Exalted King Who Holds a Splendid Jewel in His Hands dwells.
Clairaudience, one of the five or six higher perceptions.
One of the five or six “higher perceptions” (q.v.) as well as one of the “five eyes,” this is the supernormal ability to see to an unlimited distance, observe events on other worlds, see through mountains, etc. The five eyes consist of five different faculties of vision: the physical eye (
A series of progressively more subtle states of meditative realization or attainment. There are several presentations of these found in the canonical literature. One of the most common is as follows: (1) One observes form while the mind dwells at the level of the form realm. (2) One observes forms externally while discerning formlessness internally. (3) One dwells in the direct experience of the body’s pleasant aspect. (4) One dwells in the realization of the sphere of infinite space by transcending all conceptions of matter, resistance, and diversity. (5) Transcending the sphere of infinite space, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of infinite consciousness. (6) Transcending the sphere of infinite consciousness, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of nothingness. (7) Transcending the sphere of nothingness, one dwells in the realization of the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception. (8) Transcending the sphere of neither perception nor nonperception, one dwells in the realization of the cessation of conception and feeling.
Eighteen special features of a buddha’s behavior, realization, activity, and wisdom that are not shared by other beings.
One of the three gateways to liberation; the empty nature of phenomena.
A world system in the west where the buddha named Ratnasambhava dwells.
The buddha of a world system to the east.
A world system in the north where the buddha named Gift of Fearlessness dwells.
The five aggregates of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. On the individual level, the five aggregates refer to the basis upon which the mistaken idea of a self is projected. They are referred to as the “bases for appropriation” (Skt.
In Buddhist cosmology, the sphere of existence one level more subtle than our own (the desire realm), where beings, though subtly embodied, are not driven primarily by the urge for sense gratification.
In Buddhist cosmology, the sphere of existence two levels more subtle than our own (the desire realm), where beings are no longer physically embodied, and thus not subject to the sufferings that physical embodiment brings.
Fearlessness in declaring that one has (1) awakened, (2) ceased all illusions, (3) taught the obstacles to awakening, and (4) shown the way to liberation.
The four foundations or bases of miraculous power are determination, discernment, diligence, and absorption. These are among the thirty-seven factors of awakening.
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.”
A world system in the intermediate northwestern direction where the buddha named Luminous Diffusion of Fragrance dwells.
The sacred river of North India.
A buddha who teaches the Dharma in a world system to the north.
The western continent of the human world according to traditional Indian cosmology, characterized as “rich in the resources of cattle.”
A buddha who teaches the Dharma in a world system to the south.
The third of the six heavens of the realm of desire. The Tibetan translation
The fifth of the six heavens of the desire realm. Its inhabitants magically create the objects of their own enjoyment.
Tuṣita (or sometimes Saṃtuṣita), literally “Joyous” or “Contented,” is one of the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu). In standard classifications, such as the one in the Abhidharmakośa, it is ranked as the fourth of the six counting from below. This god realm is where all future buddhas are said to dwell before taking on their final rebirth prior to awakening. There, the Buddha Śākyamuni lived his preceding life as the bodhisattva Śvetaketu. When departing to take birth in this world, he appointed the bodhisattva Maitreya, who will be the next buddha of this eon, as his Dharma regent in Tuṣita. For an account of the Buddha’s previous life in Tuṣita, see The Play in Full (Toh 95), 2.12, and for an account of Maitreya’s birth in Tuṣita and a description of this realm, see The Sūtra on Maitreya’s Birth in the Heaven of Joy, (Toh 199).
The highest heaven of the desire realm, the gods there possess the ability to control the magical creations of others.
One of the heavens of Buddhist cosmology, lowest among the six heavens of the desire realm (kāmadhātu, ’dod khams). Dwelling place of the Four Great Kings (caturmahārāja, rgyal chen bzhi), traditionally located on a terrace of Sumeru, just below the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. Each cardinal direction is ruled by one of the Four Great Kings and inhabited by a different class of nonhuman beings as their subjects: in the east, Dhṛtarāṣṭra rules the gandharvas; in the south, Virūḍhaka rules the kumbhāṇḍas; in the west, Virūpākṣa rules the nāgas; and in the north, Vaiśravaṇa rules the yakṣas.
In Buddhist cosmology, the Heaven of the Thirty-Three is the second lowest of the six heavens in the desire realm (kāmadhātu). Situated on the flat summit of Mount Sumeru, it lies above the Heaven of the Four Great Kings (Caturmahārājakāyika) and below the Yāma Heaven. It consists of thirty-three regions, each presided by one of thirty-three chief gods, and the overall ruler is Śakra. The presiding gods are divided into four groups named in the Abhidharmakośaṭīkā (Toh 4092): the eight gods of wealth, two Aśvin youths, eleven fierce ones, and twelve suns. The thirty-three regions themselves are enumerated and described in The Application of Mindfulness of the Sacred Dharma, Toh 287, 4.B.2 et seq.).
The higher perceptions are listed as either five or six. The first five are: clairvoyance (divine sight), divine hearing, knowing how to manifest miracles, remembering previous lives, and knowing what is in the minds of others. A sixth, knowing that all defects have been eliminated, is often added. The first five are attained through dhyāna, and are sometimes described as worldly, as they can be attained to some extent by non-Buddhist yogis. The sixth is supramundane and attained only by realization.
A buddha who teaches the Dharma in a world system to the east.
The name of the southern continent in Buddhist cosmology, which can signify either the known human world, or more specifically the Indian subcontinent, literally “the jambu island/continent.” Jambu is the name used for a range of plum-like fruits from trees belonging to the genus Szygium, particularly Szygium jambos and Szygium cumini, and it has commonly been rendered “rose apple,” although “black plum” may be a less misleading term. Among various explanations given for the continent being so named, one (in the Abhidharmakośa) is that a jambu tree grows in its northern mountains beside Lake Anavatapta, mythically considered the source of the four great rivers of India, and that the continent is therefore named from the tree or the fruit. Jambudvīpa has the Vajrāsana at its center and is the only continent upon which buddhas attain awakening.
One of the first Buddhist monasteries, located in a park outside Śrāvastī, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kośala in northern India. This park was originally owned by Prince Jeta, hence the name Jetavana, meaning Jeta’s grove. The wealthy merchant Anāthapiṇḍada, wishing to offer it to the Buddha, sought to buy it from him, but the prince, not wishing to sell, said he would only do so if Anāthapiṇḍada covered the entire property with gold coins. Anāthapiṇḍada agreed, and managed to cover all of the park except the entrance, hence the name Anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ, meaning Anāthapiṇḍada’s park. The place is usually referred to in the sūtras as “Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park,” and according to the Saṃghabhedavastu the Buddha used Prince Jeta’s name in first place because that was Prince Jeta’s own unspoken wish while Anāthapiṇḍada was offering the park. Inspired by the occasion and the Buddha’s use of his name, Prince Jeta then offered the rest of the property and had an entrance gate built. The Buddha specifically instructed those who recite the sūtras to use Prince Jeta’s name in first place to commemorate the mutual effort of both benefactors.
Anāthapiṇḍada built residences for the monks, to house them during the monsoon season, thus creating the first Buddhist monastery. It was one of the Buddha’s main residences, where he spent around nineteen rainy season retreats, and it was therefore the setting for many of the Buddha’s discourses and events. According to the travel accounts of Chinese monks, it was still in use as a Buddhist monastery in the early fifth century ᴄᴇ, but by the sixth century it had been reduced to ruins.
An epithet for softness, probably in reference, direct or metaphorical, to the down of the kācilindika bird (see Lamotte, Etienne. La Concentration de la Marche Héroïque. Peeters (1975), p. 261, n. 321).
’phags pa sum cu rtsa gsum pa’i le’u zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Āryatrāyastriṃśatparivartanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 223, Degé Kangyur vol. 63 (mdo sde, dza), folios 127.a–164.a.
’phags pa sum cu rtsa gsum pa’i le’u zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i 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), 2006–9, vol. 63, pp. 343–431.
’phags pa sum cu rtsa gsum pa’i le’u zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo. (Āryatrāyastriṃśatparivartanāmamahāyānasūtra). Stok Palace Kangyur vol. 60 (mdo sde, ta), folios 268.b–325.a.
Denkarma (pho brang stod thang ldan dkar gyi chos kyi ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag). Toh 4364, Degé Tengyur vol. 206 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Herrmann-Pfandt, Adelheid. Die lHan kar ma: ein früher Katalog der ins Tibetische übersetzten buddhistischen Texte. Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2008.
Phangthangma (dkar chag ’phang thang ma). Beijing: mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2003.
C Choné (co ne) Kangyur
D Degé (sde dge) Kangyur
H Lhasa (zhol) Kangyur
J Lithang (’jang sa tham) Kangyur
K Peking (pe cin) Kangxi Kangyur
N Narthang (snar thang) Kangyur
S Stok Palace (stog pho brang) Manuscript Kangyur
Y Peking Yongle (g.yung lo) Kangyur
The Buddha is spending the rainy season among the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, surrounded by and teaching the Dharma to a great saṅgha of monks and bodhisattvas. The first part of the sūtra introduces discussions related to the training of bodhisattvas and their realization of the unborn nature of phenomena, while the second part focuses on the miraculous power of the awakened activity of the buddhas. In a series of teachings presenting several Mahāyāna themes of central importance, the Buddha reminds his listeners of the illusory-like nature of all phenomena and the fact that true reality cannot be apprehended or conceptualized in any way.
This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Nika Jovic translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Benjamin Collet-Cassart compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Nathaniel Rich edited the translation and the introduction, and Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text. Sameer Dhingra was in charge of the digital publication process.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Zhou Tian Yu, Chen Yi Qin, Zhou Xun, Zhao Xuan, and Liu Hai Feng.
The narrative of The Chapter on the Heaven of the Thirty-Three unfolds in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, where the Buddha Śākyamuni is seated in front of a wish-fulfilling tree surrounded by a great saṅgha of monks and bodhisattvas. He is there to honor a pledge to spend the rainy season retreat in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three “out of affection” for his mother, who had been reborn there following her death seven days after the Buddha’s birth.
The sūtra begins with the god Candra asking the Buddha a series of questions related to the training of bodhisattvas and the way they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. The first part of the text is dedicated to the Buddha answering those questions in a dialogue with the god Candra. The Buddha replies to each of his questions by presenting sets of four qualities with which bodhisattvas must be endowed. This is a common pedagogical feature in many Mahāyāna sūtras. In the context of the present discourse, the Buddha deploys such sets of four qualities to discuss central Mahāyāna topics such as emptiness, the absence of conceptual constructs, the undivided nature of the sphere of reality, and the practice of the perfections. In his teaching, the Buddha repeatedly emphasizes the importance of relating to all phenomena nonconceptually, without any form of grasping or fixation, and he elaborates on the bodhisattvas’ attainment of the acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena.
The second part of the sūtra focuses on the miraculous power of the Buddha. It introduces another interlocutor, Śakra, the lord of the gods, who questions the Buddha about the lives of the god Candra prior to him being reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. The Blessed One replies by instructing Śakra about the illusory-like nature of phenomena and by prophesying the awakening of Candra. As this discourse is being given, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana looks upon the world and is amazed to see that the Thus-Gone One is simultaneously teaching the Dharma in Jambudvīpa, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and in several other human and divine realms. Confused, Mahāmaudgalyāyana goes to share his doubts with the Buddha, who expounds to him a discourse called Manifestation of the Display of Miraculous Power of the Buddhas, which focuses on the awakened activity of the thus-gone ones. The Blessed One describes several instances of buddhas teaching the Dharma in different world systems of this trichiliocosm, and he systematically concludes by revealing that in each case, it is actually him who is teaching the Dharma in all those worlds, under different thus-gone ones’ names. At the end of the sūtra, the Buddha reminds his listeners once again about the illusory-like nature of all phenomena, and their sameness from the perspective of the sphere of reality.
The Chapter on the Heaven of the Thirty-Three is no longer extant in any Indic languages and the sūtra was never translated into Chinese. According to the colophon to the Tibetan translation, the sūtra was translated, edited, and finalized by the Indian scholar Prajñāvarman, the editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé, and others. This locates the Tibetan translation between the late eighth and the early ninth century, when most Mahāyāna sūtras were translated in Tibet. This dating is also confirmed by the text’s inclusion in both the Denkarma and Phangthangma imperial catalogs of the early ninth century
To our knowledge, the sūtra has not previously received any attention from modern scholarship. This English translation was produced based on the Tibetan translation in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace manuscript.
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was seated among the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three on the Pāṇḍukambala Stone, in front of a wish-fulfilling tree. Out of affection for his mother, who gave birth to him, the Blessed One had pledged to pass the rainy season there together with a great saṅgha of eight thousand monks, all of whom were worthy ones whose defilements had ceased, who had great miraculous power, who were renowned for their great might, and who were powerful, and together with seventy-two thousand bodhisattvas, all of whom were bodhisattvas who were renowned for their knowledge, had attained acceptance, and were unimpeded in their eloquence. Most of them had gathered there from different world systems. The Blessed One taught the Dharma surrounded and attended by an assembly of many hundreds of thousands.
At that time, the two gods Candra and Candrottara were seated in the assembly. The god Candra rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Bowing to the Blessed One with his palms joined, he said, “If the Blessed One were to grant me the opportunity to ask questions, I would like to ask the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha about several points.”
The Blessed One replied to the god Candra, “What topics do you want to question the Thus-Gone One about, Candra?”
The god Candra replied to the Blessed One in verse:
“Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom? Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings become wise in the practice of dedication through their inconceivable mastery of skillful means? Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings come to understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching? Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood by possessing profound discipline and practicing conscientiously?”
The Blessed One replied to the god Candra, “Excellent, Candra, excellent! Candra, it is excellent that you have asked the Thus-Gone One about those beings who have donned the great armor, who wish to liberate a great number of wanderers, who wish to set ablaze the great Dharma torch, who wish to liberate beings on the great Dharma boat, who wish to turn the great Dharma wheel, who wish to beat the great Dharma drum, who wish to sound the great Dharma conch, who wish to raise the great Dharma banner, who wish to bear the great Dharma crest, who wish to manifest the great light of insight, who wish to pursue great wisdom, who wish to perfect great wisdom, and who possess infinite qualities such as these.
“Therefore, divine being, listen well and consider this carefully. I will teach you how bodhisattva great beings reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom; how bodhisattva great beings become wise in the practice of dedication through their inconceivable mastery of skillful means; how bodhisattva great beings come to understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching; and how bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood by possessing profound discipline and practicing conscientiously.”
The god Candra replied, “I will do so, Blessed One,” and he listened as the Blessed One had instructed.
The Blessed One continued, “Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, they will reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings are skilled in understanding all phenomena without clinging to any of them. They see, know, understand, and directly perceive all phenomena to be equal to space. As they relate to all phenomena in harmony with their true nature, they do not perceive any other phenomenon besides the sphere of reality.
“Divine being, what is the single principle of all phenomena? It is the fact that just as the entirety of the past is empty, so too is the future empty, and that which is the present is also empty because of its emptiness of an essential nature. Therefore, divine being, nonconceptuality with regard to the emptiness of the three times is referred to as suchness. Those who engage with, understand, teach, refer to, comment upon, discern, clarify, and explain this are referred to as wise ones.
“How is it that there is no clinging to any phenomena? Divine being, all phenomena arise by arising based on a self. When bodhisattvas see arising through the application of mindfulness with respect to all phenomena, they do not cling to a self. Since they do not cling to a self, they do not cause the arising of other phenomena. Because they neither know nor cause the arising of any phenomena whatsoever, they cannot cling to any of them. Since they do not cling, they determine phenomena without clinging to any phenomena whatsoever.
“Divine being, how is it that bodhisattva great beings know all phenomena to be like space? Divine being, bodhisattvas know that the three realms are only mind, and that mind has no form, cannot be shown, and is unimpeded and imperceptible, like an illusion. The mind cannot be found even when searched for from the perspective of the mind’s true nature, and the mind that searches for the mind cannot be found either. Because bodhisattvas do not fixate on a mind, they do not fixate on any phenomena. Because they do not fixate on any phenomena, they do not perceive any phenomena whatsoever in terms of phenomenal features or substances, and they do not become attached to any phenomena. Because phenomena are not truly established, they know them to be like space. As an analogy, divine being, they know that all phenomena are similar to space—unborn and not truly established. Just as what is called space is void, all phenomena too are void, in being mere names.
“How is it that bodhisattvas relate to phenomena in harmony with their true nature? Divine being, when bodhisattva great beings have perfectly trained in this, none of these phenomena know or see one another. The eyes do not know or see the ears, the ears do not know or see the eyes, the nose does not know or see the tongue, the tongue does not know or see the nose, the body does not know or see the mind, and the mind does not know or see the body. All these phenomena are inanimate, inactive, and inert. Bodhisattvas know them to be like the sphere of reality. When any phenomenon among the six sense objects appears to those who possess such an insight, they think, ‘There is no inner phenomenon whatsoever that makes what is external perceptible, and there is no outer phenomenon whatsoever that makes what is internal perceptible.’ Knowing and seeing in that way, they do not perceive the birth, cessation, or abiding of any phenomena. Divine being, that which has no birth, cessation, or abiding is the sphere of reality.
“Moreover, divine being, bodhisattvas think, ‘All phenomena abide, since they abide as always unborn.’ In that way, since bodhisattvas possess the discernment of all phenomena as they truly are, they do not perceive any other phenomenon whatsoever besides their true nature, and they relate to all phenomena in accordance with their true nature. Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess those four qualities, they will reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom.
“Divine being, what are the higher perceptions? Divine being, what are called the higher perceptions are perceptions that, with respect to all phenomena, do not depend on others. Divine being, wisdom is that which does not divide any phenomena dualistically. Divine being, nonduality is where there is no labeling of eyes and forms, no labeling of ears and sounds, no labeling of nose and smells, no labeling of tongue and tastes, no labeling of body and tangibles, and no labeling of mind and mental phenomena. Bodhisattvas who possess such wisdom will attain the five higher perceptions, and those will be attained once all their aspirations have been fulfilled in accordance with their wishes. Divine being, bodhisattvas who possess such wisdom see, with the divine eye, countless billions of buddha realms in the ten directions. They also see the blessed buddhas who are residing with their saṅghas of hearers in those buddha realms. They hear, with the divine ear, all the Dharma that those blessed buddhas are teaching. They also know all the inferior, average, and superior thoughts and actions of the beings living in those buddha realms. They can travel instantly to all those buddha realms. They teach the Dharma themselves, beginning with actualizing the knowledge of past existences. Divine being, bodhisattva great beings who possess such wisdom attend to beings by means of awakened activities, even without having obtained omniscience. They will soon perfect all the awakened qualities and awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses:
“Divine being Candra, you should know that if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, their mastery of skillful means will be inconceivable. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings are skilled in means. Seeing that they themselves have been harmed by suffering, unhappiness, and distress, they diligently strive to pacify the suffering of beings. They join all beings to the mind set on awakening, and they join all phenomena to the mind set on awakening. They rejoice in the abundance of merit produced by all the beings throughout the three times, and they also rejoice in the abundance of merit produced by all the buddhas throughout the three times. They set aside and give away those roots of virtue for the sake of all beings. They never give rise to a single thought that is not dedicated to omniscience, and they do not perceive an awakening that is separate from the mind. They ask questions with the understanding that the characteristics of awakening are the characteristics of the mind. They cling neither to the mind nor to awakening, and they increase their roots of virtue through their skill in means. They do not perceive even the sphere of reality as completely pure, and since they have realized inconceivable qualities, they never tire of producing roots of virtue. They do not hold either mental actions or virtuous attitudes as supreme. Although they practice generosity, they do not conceptualize it. Although they guard their discipline, they do not hold it as supreme. Although they develop patience, they do not dwell on it. Although they strive diligently, they know it to be void. Although they are absorbed in concentration, they do not rely upon it. Although they cultivate insight, they do not practice it. Although they ripen beings, they do so without apprehending them. Although they completely purify realms, they do so in order to benefit others. Although they seek wisdom, they do so by way of not pursuing it. Although they teach the Dharma, they do so inexpressibly. Divine being, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that way make their roots of virtue limitless, however small they may be.
“Divine being, how do bodhisattva great beings make their roots of virtue limitless, however small they may be? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings give rise to the perception of all phenomena as limitless. There are no phenomena whatsoever that are limited. Why? Because, divine being, all phenomena are empty, signless, and wishless, and that which is empty is limitless. With a mindset that has been made limitless, and through their skill in means, they make their generosity for the sake of the Dharma limitless, however small it may be. Why? Because the awakening to which the mind of awakening is dedicated is itself limitless.
“Through their limitless conduct, they will realize the true nature of the limitless awakening of the blessed buddhas. Furthermore, divine being, bodhisattva great beings engage in the conduct of beings. Because they are skilled in means, they adapt to the inclinations of beings and practice generosity, bestow gifts, and teach the Dharma accordingly. Furthermore, divine being, when it comes to generosity, they abide in the nature of generosity, not in the nature of discipline, not in the nature of patience, not in the nature of diligence, not in the nature of concentration, and not in the nature of insight. Nevertheless, they practice generosity and guard their discipline, but they do so without thinking. They possess discipline and their patience is excellent—they are patient with what others do or do not do. They strive diligently at all sorts of virtuous conduct, they practice concentration, and they master superior vision through their insight. Furthermore, divine being, even when they dwell together with them, bodhisattvas who are skilled in means live by their own core values without aspiring to the condition of the hearers. And even when they dwell together with the followers of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas’ awakening, bodhisattvas also live by their own core values without aspiring to the condition of those followers. Divine being, if bodhisattvas possess those four qualities, their mastery of skillful means will be inconceivable.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses:
“Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, they will clearly understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattvas are skilled in understanding the undivided sphere of reality; they concern themselves with the emptiness of all phenomena; they do not impute anything to any phenomenon – they do not impute the notion of self or the notion of other; and they comprehend all phenomena from the perspective of their voidness. Divine being, if bodhisattvas possess those four qualities, they will clearly understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching.
“Understanding in that way, they do not discriminate dualistically in terms of mundane or supramundane phenomena, and they do not discriminate dualistically in terms of phenomena that are either reproachable or irreproachable, defiled or undefiled, or compounded or uncompounded. They do not perceive any phenomena as superior or inferior. They do not perceive the qualities of ordinary beings and worthy ones as being different—the nature of the ordinary being’s qualities is the nature of the worthy one’s qualities; they do not decrease or increase. They know that the single principle is the principle of voidness. They teach about the divisions of all phenomena without perceiving the sphere of reality as divided. They are endowed with the single acceptance—the acceptance of emptiness—and they do not divide emptiness and acceptance dualistically. They engage with all phenomena by means of the single engagement—the engagement of the unborn. Divine being, those bodhisattvas are close to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. They do not wonder, ‘Am I close to awakening?’ or ‘Am I not close to awakening?’ Why? Because they do not perceive beings or awakening apart from the single principle. Moreover, in this context, awakening is the nonapprehending of beings.”
Having comprehended that meaning and analyzed it in detail, the Blessed One spoke these verses:
“Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, it is said that they have profound discipline and are conscientious. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings wonder, ‘What is discipline?’ As they correctly inquire in that way, they conclude, ‘Discipline is wholesome physical conduct, wholesome verbal conduct, and wholesome mental conduct.’ They then wonder, ‘What is wholesome physical conduct? Wholesome physical conduct consists in refraining from the physical acts of killing, taking what was not given, and engaging in sexual misconduct. What is wholesome verbal conduct? Wholesome verbal conduct consists in refraining from the verbal acts of lying, slander, harsh speech, and idle gossip. What is wholesome mental conduct? Wholesome mental conduct consists in refraining from the mental acts of covetousness, ill will, and wrong views.’
“As they correctly inquire in that way, they conclude, ‘Physical, verbal, or mental acts cannot be designated as “blue,” “yellow,” “red,” “white,” “crimson,” or “crystalline,” and they cannot be cognized by the eyes, they cannot be cognized by the ears, they cannot be cognized by the nose, they cannot be cognized by the tongue, they cannot be cognized by the body, and they cannot be cognized by the mind. Why? Because they are unborn, uncreated, unproduced, and unobstructed, and that which is unborn, uncreated, unproduced, and unobstructed cannot be cognized by any other phenomenon.’
“They also think, ‘That which is uncompounded is discipline. It is without any designation whatsoever, and we cannot cling to something that is without designation.’ When they practice in that way, they do not perceive discipline, and they do not perceive that to which discipline is dedicated. For those reasons, it is said that bodhisattvas have profound discipline.
“Moreover, divine being, bodhisattva great beings possess the understanding that knows the view of the transitory collection. They do not give rise to views of the transitory collection, which are views that produce conceptual elaborations such as ‘possessing discipline’ or ‘corrupted discipline.’ Moreover, divine being, bodhisattva great beings follow the profound way. Because of their physical and verbal conduct, and because they act while vigilant about their field of experience, it is said that they possess discipline. Also, since they do not act while apprehending self or others, it is said that they possess profound discipline.
“Moreover, divine being, bodhisattva great beings have unimpaired discipline and unbroken discipline. Divine being, how is it that bodhisattva great beings have unimpaired discipline and unbroken discipline? Divine being, apprehending a self is apprehending discipline. Divine being, those who do not apprehend a self do not apprehend discipline, and those who do not apprehend discipline do not impair their discipline and do not break their discipline. Why do they not impair it or break it? Because they know that all phenomena depend upon something else, that what depends upon something else is without ‘I’ and without ‘mine,’ and that what is without self cannot be broken at all. Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess those four qualities, it is said that they have profound discipline and are conscientious.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses:
The Buddha is spending the rainy season among the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, surrounded by and teaching the Dharma to a great saṅgha of monks and bodhisattvas. The first part of the sūtra introduces discussions related to the training of bodhisattvas and their realization of the unborn nature of phenomena, while the second part focuses on the miraculous power of the awakened activity of the buddhas. In a series of teachings presenting several Mahāyāna themes of central importance, the Buddha reminds his listeners of the illusory-like nature of all phenomena and the fact that true reality cannot be apprehended or conceptualized in any way.
This text was translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the guidance of Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Nika Jovic translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Benjamin Collet-Cassart compared the draft translation with the original Tibetan and edited the text.
The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Nathaniel Rich edited the translation and the introduction, and Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text. Sameer Dhingra was in charge of the digital publication process.
The translation of this text has been made possible through the generous sponsorship of Zhou Tian Yu, Chen Yi Qin, Zhou Xun, Zhao Xuan, and Liu Hai Feng.
The narrative of The Chapter on the Heaven of the Thirty-Three unfolds in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, where the Buddha Śākyamuni is seated in front of a wish-fulfilling tree surrounded by a great saṅgha of monks and bodhisattvas. He is there to honor a pledge to spend the rainy season retreat in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three “out of affection” for his mother, who had been reborn there following her death seven days after the Buddha’s birth.
The sūtra begins with the god Candra asking the Buddha a series of questions related to the training of bodhisattvas and the way they awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood. The first part of the text is dedicated to the Buddha answering those questions in a dialogue with the god Candra. The Buddha replies to each of his questions by presenting sets of four qualities with which bodhisattvas must be endowed. This is a common pedagogical feature in many Mahāyāna sūtras. In the context of the present discourse, the Buddha deploys such sets of four qualities to discuss central Mahāyāna topics such as emptiness, the absence of conceptual constructs, the undivided nature of the sphere of reality, and the practice of the perfections. In his teaching, the Buddha repeatedly emphasizes the importance of relating to all phenomena nonconceptually, without any form of grasping or fixation, and he elaborates on the bodhisattvas’ attainment of the acceptance of the unborn nature of phenomena.
The second part of the sūtra focuses on the miraculous power of the Buddha. It introduces another interlocutor, Śakra, the lord of the gods, who questions the Buddha about the lives of the god Candra prior to him being reborn in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three. The Blessed One replies by instructing Śakra about the illusory-like nature of phenomena and by prophesying the awakening of Candra. As this discourse is being given, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana looks upon the world and is amazed to see that the Thus-Gone One is simultaneously teaching the Dharma in Jambudvīpa, in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three, and in several other human and divine realms. Confused, Mahāmaudgalyāyana goes to share his doubts with the Buddha, who expounds to him a discourse called Manifestation of the Display of Miraculous Power of the Buddhas, which focuses on the awakened activity of the thus-gone ones. The Blessed One describes several instances of buddhas teaching the Dharma in different world systems of this trichiliocosm, and he systematically concludes by revealing that in each case, it is actually him who is teaching the Dharma in all those worlds, under different thus-gone ones’ names. At the end of the sūtra, the Buddha reminds his listeners once again about the illusory-like nature of all phenomena, and their sameness from the perspective of the sphere of reality.
The Chapter on the Heaven of the Thirty-Three is no longer extant in any Indic languages and the sūtra was never translated into Chinese. According to the colophon to the Tibetan translation, the sūtra was translated, edited, and finalized by the Indian scholar Prajñāvarman, the editor-translator Bandé Yeshé Dé, and others. This locates the Tibetan translation between the late eighth and the early ninth century, when most Mahāyāna sūtras were translated in Tibet. This dating is also confirmed by the text’s inclusion in both the Denkarma and Phangthangma imperial catalogs of the early ninth century
To our knowledge, the sūtra has not previously received any attention from modern scholarship. This English translation was produced based on the Tibetan translation in the Degé Kangyur, in consultation with the Comparative Edition (Tib. dpe bsdur ma) and the Stok Palace manuscript.
Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was seated among the gods of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three on the Pāṇḍukambala Stone, in front of a wish-fulfilling tree. Out of affection for his mother, who gave birth to him, the Blessed One had pledged to pass the rainy season there together with a great saṅgha of eight thousand monks, all of whom were worthy ones whose defilements had ceased, who had great miraculous power, who were renowned for their great might, and who were powerful, and together with seventy-two thousand bodhisattvas, all of whom were bodhisattvas who were renowned for their knowledge, had attained acceptance, and were unimpeded in their eloquence. Most of them had gathered there from different world systems. The Blessed One taught the Dharma surrounded and attended by an assembly of many hundreds of thousands.
At that time, the two gods Candra and Candrottara were seated in the assembly. The god Candra rose from his seat, draped his shawl over one shoulder, and knelt on his right knee. Bowing to the Blessed One with his palms joined, he said, “If the Blessed One were to grant me the opportunity to ask questions, I would like to ask the blessed, thus-gone, worthy, perfect Buddha about several points.”
The Blessed One replied to the god Candra, “What topics do you want to question the Thus-Gone One about, Candra?”
The god Candra replied to the Blessed One in verse:
“Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom? Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings become wise in the practice of dedication through their inconceivable mastery of skillful means? Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings come to understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching? Blessed One, how do bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood by possessing profound discipline and practicing conscientiously?”
The Blessed One replied to the god Candra, “Excellent, Candra, excellent! Candra, it is excellent that you have asked the Thus-Gone One about those beings who have donned the great armor, who wish to liberate a great number of wanderers, who wish to set ablaze the great Dharma torch, who wish to liberate beings on the great Dharma boat, who wish to turn the great Dharma wheel, who wish to beat the great Dharma drum, who wish to sound the great Dharma conch, who wish to raise the great Dharma banner, who wish to bear the great Dharma crest, who wish to manifest the great light of insight, who wish to pursue great wisdom, who wish to perfect great wisdom, and who possess infinite qualities such as these.
“Therefore, divine being, listen well and consider this carefully. I will teach you how bodhisattva great beings reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom; how bodhisattva great beings become wise in the practice of dedication through their inconceivable mastery of skillful means; how bodhisattva great beings come to understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching; and how bodhisattva great beings fully awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood by possessing profound discipline and practicing conscientiously.”
The god Candra replied, “I will do so, Blessed One,” and he listened as the Blessed One had instructed.
The Blessed One continued, “Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, they will reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings are skilled in understanding all phenomena without clinging to any of them. They see, know, understand, and directly perceive all phenomena to be equal to space. As they relate to all phenomena in harmony with their true nature, they do not perceive any other phenomenon besides the sphere of reality.
“Divine being, what is the single principle of all phenomena? It is the fact that just as the entirety of the past is empty, so too is the future empty, and that which is the present is also empty because of its emptiness of an essential nature. Therefore, divine being, nonconceptuality with regard to the emptiness of the three times is referred to as suchness. Those who engage with, understand, teach, refer to, comment upon, discern, clarify, and explain this are referred to as wise ones.
“How is it that there is no clinging to any phenomena? Divine being, all phenomena arise by arising based on a self. When bodhisattvas see arising through the application of mindfulness with respect to all phenomena, they do not cling to a self. Since they do not cling to a self, they do not cause the arising of other phenomena. Because they neither know nor cause the arising of any phenomena whatsoever, they cannot cling to any of them. Since they do not cling, they determine phenomena without clinging to any phenomena whatsoever.
“Divine being, how is it that bodhisattva great beings know all phenomena to be like space? Divine being, bodhisattvas know that the three realms are only mind, and that mind has no form, cannot be shown, and is unimpeded and imperceptible, like an illusion. The mind cannot be found even when searched for from the perspective of the mind’s true nature, and the mind that searches for the mind cannot be found either. Because bodhisattvas do not fixate on a mind, they do not fixate on any phenomena. Because they do not fixate on any phenomena, they do not perceive any phenomena whatsoever in terms of phenomenal features or substances, and they do not become attached to any phenomena. Because phenomena are not truly established, they know them to be like space. As an analogy, divine being, they know that all phenomena are similar to space—unborn and not truly established. Just as what is called space is void, all phenomena too are void, in being mere names.
“How is it that bodhisattvas relate to phenomena in harmony with their true nature? Divine being, when bodhisattva great beings have perfectly trained in this, none of these phenomena know or see one another. The eyes do not know or see the ears, the ears do not know or see the eyes, the nose does not know or see the tongue, the tongue does not know or see the nose, the body does not know or see the mind, and the mind does not know or see the body. All these phenomena are inanimate, inactive, and inert. Bodhisattvas know them to be like the sphere of reality. When any phenomenon among the six sense objects appears to those who possess such an insight, they think, ‘There is no inner phenomenon whatsoever that makes what is external perceptible, and there is no outer phenomenon whatsoever that makes what is internal perceptible.’ Knowing and seeing in that way, they do not perceive the birth, cessation, or abiding of any phenomena. Divine being, that which has no birth, cessation, or abiding is the sphere of reality.
“Moreover, divine being, bodhisattvas think, ‘All phenomena abide, since they abide as always unborn.’ In that way, since bodhisattvas possess the discernment of all phenomena as they truly are, they do not perceive any other phenomenon whatsoever besides their true nature, and they relate to all phenomena in accordance with their true nature. Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess those four qualities, they will reach the great higher perceptions and the pinnacle of wisdom.
“Divine being, what are the higher perceptions? Divine being, what are called the higher perceptions are perceptions that, with respect to all phenomena, do not depend on others. Divine being, wisdom is that which does not divide any phenomena dualistically. Divine being, nonduality is where there is no labeling of eyes and forms, no labeling of ears and sounds, no labeling of nose and smells, no labeling of tongue and tastes, no labeling of body and tangibles, and no labeling of mind and mental phenomena. Bodhisattvas who possess such wisdom will attain the five higher perceptions, and those will be attained once all their aspirations have been fulfilled in accordance with their wishes. Divine being, bodhisattvas who possess such wisdom see, with the divine eye, countless billions of buddha realms in the ten directions. They also see the blessed buddhas who are residing with their saṅghas of hearers in those buddha realms. They hear, with the divine ear, all the Dharma that those blessed buddhas are teaching. They also know all the inferior, average, and superior thoughts and actions of the beings living in those buddha realms. They can travel instantly to all those buddha realms. They teach the Dharma themselves, beginning with actualizing the knowledge of past existences. Divine being, bodhisattva great beings who possess such wisdom attend to beings by means of awakened activities, even without having obtained omniscience. They will soon perfect all the awakened qualities and awaken to unsurpassed and perfect buddhahood.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses:
“Divine being Candra, you should know that if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, their mastery of skillful means will be inconceivable. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings are skilled in means. Seeing that they themselves have been harmed by suffering, unhappiness, and distress, they diligently strive to pacify the suffering of beings. They join all beings to the mind set on awakening, and they join all phenomena to the mind set on awakening. They rejoice in the abundance of merit produced by all the beings throughout the three times, and they also rejoice in the abundance of merit produced by all the buddhas throughout the three times. They set aside and give away those roots of virtue for the sake of all beings. They never give rise to a single thought that is not dedicated to omniscience, and they do not perceive an awakening that is separate from the mind. They ask questions with the understanding that the characteristics of awakening are the characteristics of the mind. They cling neither to the mind nor to awakening, and they increase their roots of virtue through their skill in means. They do not perceive even the sphere of reality as completely pure, and since they have realized inconceivable qualities, they never tire of producing roots of virtue. They do not hold either mental actions or virtuous attitudes as supreme. Although they practice generosity, they do not conceptualize it. Although they guard their discipline, they do not hold it as supreme. Although they develop patience, they do not dwell on it. Although they strive diligently, they know it to be void. Although they are absorbed in concentration, they do not rely upon it. Although they cultivate insight, they do not practice it. Although they ripen beings, they do so without apprehending them. Although they completely purify realms, they do so in order to benefit others. Although they seek wisdom, they do so by way of not pursuing it. Although they teach the Dharma, they do so inexpressibly. Divine being, bodhisattva great beings who practice in that way make their roots of virtue limitless, however small they may be.
“Divine being, how do bodhisattva great beings make their roots of virtue limitless, however small they may be? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings give rise to the perception of all phenomena as limitless. There are no phenomena whatsoever that are limited. Why? Because, divine being, all phenomena are empty, signless, and wishless, and that which is empty is limitless. With a mindset that has been made limitless, and through their skill in means, they make their generosity for the sake of the Dharma limitless, however small it may be. Why? Because the awakening to which the mind of awakening is dedicated is itself limitless.
“Through their limitless conduct, they will realize the true nature of the limitless awakening of the blessed buddhas. Furthermore, divine being, bodhisattva great beings engage in the conduct of beings. Because they are skilled in means, they adapt to the inclinations of beings and practice generosity, bestow gifts, and teach the Dharma accordingly. Furthermore, divine being, when it comes to generosity, they abide in the nature of generosity, not in the nature of discipline, not in the nature of patience, not in the nature of diligence, not in the nature of concentration, and not in the nature of insight. Nevertheless, they practice generosity and guard their discipline, but they do so without thinking. They possess discipline and their patience is excellent—they are patient with what others do or do not do. They strive diligently at all sorts of virtuous conduct, they practice concentration, and they master superior vision through their insight. Furthermore, divine being, even when they dwell together with them, bodhisattvas who are skilled in means live by their own core values without aspiring to the condition of the hearers. And even when they dwell together with the followers of the vehicle of the pratyekabuddhas’ awakening, bodhisattvas also live by their own core values without aspiring to the condition of those followers. Divine being, if bodhisattvas possess those four qualities, their mastery of skillful means will be inconceivable.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses:
“Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, they will clearly understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattvas are skilled in understanding the undivided sphere of reality; they concern themselves with the emptiness of all phenomena; they do not impute anything to any phenomenon – they do not impute the notion of self or the notion of other; and they comprehend all phenomena from the perspective of their voidness. Divine being, if bodhisattvas possess those four qualities, they will clearly understand all phenomena in terms of the single principle, the single taste, the single engagement, and the single teaching.
“Understanding in that way, they do not discriminate dualistically in terms of mundane or supramundane phenomena, and they do not discriminate dualistically in terms of phenomena that are either reproachable or irreproachable, defiled or undefiled, or compounded or uncompounded. They do not perceive any phenomena as superior or inferior. They do not perceive the qualities of ordinary beings and worthy ones as being different—the nature of the ordinary being’s qualities is the nature of the worthy one’s qualities; they do not decrease or increase. They know that the single principle is the principle of voidness. They teach about the divisions of all phenomena without perceiving the sphere of reality as divided. They are endowed with the single acceptance—the acceptance of emptiness—and they do not divide emptiness and acceptance dualistically. They engage with all phenomena by means of the single engagement—the engagement of the unborn. Divine being, those bodhisattvas are close to unsurpassed and perfect awakening. They do not wonder, ‘Am I close to awakening?’ or ‘Am I not close to awakening?’ Why? Because they do not perceive beings or awakening apart from the single principle. Moreover, in this context, awakening is the nonapprehending of beings.”
Having comprehended that meaning and analyzed it in detail, the Blessed One spoke these verses:
“Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess four qualities, it is said that they have profound discipline and are conscientious. What are those four? Divine being, bodhisattva great beings wonder, ‘What is discipline?’ As they correctly inquire in that way, they conclude, ‘Discipline is wholesome physical conduct, wholesome verbal conduct, and wholesome mental conduct.’ They then wonder, ‘What is wholesome physical conduct? Wholesome physical conduct consists in refraining from the physical acts of killing, taking what was not given, and engaging in sexual misconduct. What is wholesome verbal conduct? Wholesome verbal conduct consists in refraining from the verbal acts of lying, slander, harsh speech, and idle gossip. What is wholesome mental conduct? Wholesome mental conduct consists in refraining from the mental acts of covetousness, ill will, and wrong views.’
“As they correctly inquire in that way, they conclude, ‘Physical, verbal, or mental acts cannot be designated as “blue,” “yellow,” “red,” “white,” “crimson,” or “crystalline,” and they cannot be cognized by the eyes, they cannot be cognized by the ears, they cannot be cognized by the nose, they cannot be cognized by the tongue, they cannot be cognized by the body, and they cannot be cognized by the mind. Why? Because they are unborn, uncreated, unproduced, and unobstructed, and that which is unborn, uncreated, unproduced, and unobstructed cannot be cognized by any other phenomenon.’
“They also think, ‘That which is uncompounded is discipline. It is without any designation whatsoever, and we cannot cling to something that is without designation.’ When they practice in that way, they do not perceive discipline, and they do not perceive that to which discipline is dedicated. For those reasons, it is said that bodhisattvas have profound discipline.
“Moreover, divine being, bodhisattva great beings possess the understanding that knows the view of the transitory collection. They do not give rise to views of the transitory collection, which are views that produce conceptual elaborations such as ‘possessing discipline’ or ‘corrupted discipline.’ Moreover, divine being, bodhisattva great beings follow the profound way. Because of their physical and verbal conduct, and because they act while vigilant about their field of experience, it is said that they possess discipline. Also, since they do not act while apprehending self or others, it is said that they possess profound discipline.
“Moreover, divine being, bodhisattva great beings have unimpaired discipline and unbroken discipline. Divine being, how is it that bodhisattva great beings have unimpaired discipline and unbroken discipline? Divine being, apprehending a self is apprehending discipline. Divine being, those who do not apprehend a self do not apprehend discipline, and those who do not apprehend discipline do not impair their discipline and do not break their discipline. Why do they not impair it or break it? Because they know that all phenomena depend upon something else, that what depends upon something else is without ‘I’ and without ‘mine,’ and that what is without self cannot be broken at all. Divine being, if bodhisattva great beings possess those four qualities, it is said that they have profound discipline and are conscientious.”
The Blessed One then spoke these verses: