toh219

༄༅། །ལས་་བ་པ་ན་གད་པ།
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations
Karmāvaraṇapratipraśrabdhi
འཕགས་པ་ལས་་བ་པ་ན་གད་པ་ས་་བ་ག་པ་ན་ ་མ།
’phags pa las kyi sgrib pa rgyun gcod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations”
Āryakarmāvaraṇapratipraśrabdhināmamahāyānasūtra
· Toh 219 ·
Degé Kangyur, vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha), folios 297.b–307.a
ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛɪʙᴇᴛᴀɴ ʙʏ

· Jinamitra · Dānaśīla · Yeshé Dé ·
First published 2024
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co. TABLE OF CONTENTS
ti. Title
im. Imprint
co. Contents
s. Summary
ac. Acknowledgements
i. Introduction
· History of the Sūtra
tr. The Translation
1. Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations
c. Colophon
n. Notes
b. Bibliography
· Primary Sources in Tibetan and Chinese
· Secondary References —Kangyur
· Secondary References —Tengyur
· Other References in Tibetan
· Other References in English and Other Languages
· Translations
g. Glossary
s. SUMMARY
s.1 The Buddha teaches how to become free of karmic obscurations and
accomplish aspirations through a recitation that should be done three times
during the day and three times at night. In that recitation one confesses
one’s bad actions, rejoices in the good actions of others, and requests the
buddhas to teach the Dharma and to not pass into nirvāṇa.
ac. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ac.1 This text was translated by Peter Alan Roberts, who translated the text from
Tibetan into English and wrote the introduction. Ling Lung Chen and Wang
Chipan were consultants for the Chinese versions of the sūtra. Emily Bower
was the project manager and editor. Tracy Davis was the initial copyeditor.
Thanks to Michael Radich for sharing his research on the sūtra.
ac.2 The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of
84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Rory Lindsay edited the
translation and the introduction, and Xiaolong Diao, Ting Lee Ling, and H. S.
Sum Cheuk Shing checked the translation against the Chinese sources. Ven.
Konchog Norbu copyedited the text, and Celso Wilkinson was in charge of
the digital publication process.
i. INTRODUCTION
i.1 Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations presents a prayer used for karmic
purification, and it includes an account of this prayer’s effectiveness during
the time of a previous buddha. It relates the story of a woman named
Gaṅgadevī, who, through practicing this sūtra, became a buddha in another
realm. In addition to the confession of negative actions, the prayer describes
rejoicing in the good actions of others as a method for accumulating merit,
the dedication of one’s merit to the welfare of others, requesting the
buddhas to teach the Dharma, and beseeching the buddhas to not pass into
nirvāṇa. Thus, it contains five of the elements (lacking homage and offering)
of the ubiquitous seven-branch prayer commonly recited in present-day
Tibetan Buddhist practice.
i.2 The sūtra begins with Śāriputra asking the Buddha how to confess
previous negative deeds. The Buddha gives a recitation that should be done
three times during the day and three times at night in order to free oneself
from karmic obscurations and attain whatever is aspired to—from rebirth
into a good human family or various paradises, to the attainment of ultimate
wisdom. The Buddha explains that one should also recite the words of
rejoicing in the good actions done by others, requesting the buddhas in all
worlds to teach the Dharma, and beseeching them to not pass away. He
teaches that this creates greater merit than any other kind of Dharma
practice, and that one should recite a dedication of merit to the
enlightenment of all beings.
i.3 Next, the assembly promises to promulgate this sūtra, and Śakra states
that it can bring an end to the obscurations of karma. In response, the
Buddha describes a buddha in the distant past named Mahāraśmiskandha
and a woman named Gaṅgadevī who received this very teaching from him.
Through her dedication to this teaching, Gaṅgadevī was subsequently
always reborn as a man until she became a buddha by the name of Ratnārci.
At present, Ratnārci teaches in a realm a vast distance away in the eastern
direction, and the sūtra states that any woman who hears the name of this
buddha will no longer be reborn as a woman. The sūtra concludes with the
Buddha naming the teachings, and all those who are present rejoice.
· History of the Sūtra ·
i.4 While the time of its emergence is unknown, this sūtra possibly predates The
Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, the longer versions of which include Putting
an End to Karmic Obscurations as their fifth chapter. Putting an End to Karmic
Obscurations seems to have become important as one of the principal
recitations used to bring about purification through confession, as evidenced
by several Indian Buddhist works that mention it. The author of Precious
Lamp of the Middle Way recommends its recitation, as does a certain
Alaṁkārabhadra.1 In the eleventh century, Atiśa (982–1054), also known as
Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna, who came to Tibet in 1042 and is the source of the
Kadampa tradition, recommends its recitation in his Commentary on Difficult
Points in “The Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment”2 and also does so twice in his
Opening a Precious Casket: Instructions on the Middle Way.3
i.5 Methods to purify the obscuration of karma are a common topic in
Mahāyāna sūtras, and this is certainly the case in The Sūtra of the Sublime
Golden Light. There are three versions of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light in
Tibetan: a twenty-one-chapter version (Toh 557),4 a twenty-nine-chapter
version (Toh 556),5 and a thirty-one-chapter version (Toh 555).6 The contents
of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations are absent in the shortest version but
are included in both of the longer versions of the sūtra as their fifth chapter.
The brief introduction and conclusion of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations
in its independent form are omitted in the versions of The Sūtra of the Sublime
Golden Light, so instead of it being taught in Śrāvastī, it is, like the rest of The
Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, taught on Vulture Peak near Rājagṛha.
i.6 The key chapter in The Sutra of the Sublime Golden Light in all three versions
is that which provides a prayer of confession heard by a young man of
Rājagṛha who, in a dream, hears that prayer emanating from a drum. The
Buddha then teaches that this prayer is to be recited in order to purify
oneself of karmic obscurations. The sūtra gives other methods of
purification, even a purifying bath, and therefore it is not surprising that
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations may have later been included as one of
its chapters.
i.7 In the Degé Kangyur, Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations is preceded by
the similarly titled The Purification of Karmic Obscurations,7 and these two are
preceded by Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse8 and The Śrīgupta Sūtra.9 Both of
these deal with individuals who have committed extremely bad actions —
King Ajātaśatru committed patricide and the householder Śrīgupta
attempted to assassinate the Buddha—but are able to be saved from the
effects of those actions by following the Buddha’s teachings.
i.8 The colophon of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations states that it was
translated by Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, and Yeshé Dé, which would have been in
the early ninth century. This and chapter 5 of the twenty-nine-chapter
version of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (Toh 556) are identical, so it
appears that the Tibetan translators either incorporated a translation of
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations into The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light
or extracted its chapter 5 with the addition of a translation of its introduction
and conclusion.
i.9 The thirty-one-chapter Tibetan version of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden
Light was translated from Yijing’s Chinese translation. The Chinese version
of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations, which is titled Da sheng san ju chan hui
jing ⼤乘三聚懺悔經 , 10
is very similar to Yijing’s translation of chapter 5.
However, the language of chapter 5 in the Tibetan translation of Yijing’s
version differs considerably from the Tibetan translation from the Sanskrit of
the twenty-nine-chapter version (Toh 556) and the present sūtra.
The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations
1. The Translation
[F.297.b]
1.1 Homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavat was residing with a great saṅgha
of one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikṣus and seventy thousand
bodhisattvas in Śrāvastī, in Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.
1.2 Through the power of the Buddha,11 Venerable Śāriputra rose from his
seat and with his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt on his right knee,
placed his palms together in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavat, and
inquired of the Bhagavat, [F.298.a] “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or
noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or who has entered the
Pratyekabuddhayāna, or who has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being
who is seeking the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood,
confess their individual karmic obscurations?”
1.3 After Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said these words
to him: “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the
Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the
Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times
each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee,
place their palms together in homage, and say these words:
1.4 “ ‘For the benefit12 of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out
of compassion for the world, and for the benefit and healing and happiness
of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, I pay homage to the buddha
bhagavats who in this present time have attained the highest, most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood in worlds in the ten directions, those buddha
bhagavats who conscientiously turn the wheel of the Dharma, teach the
wheel of the Dharma, possess the way of the Dharma, give the gift of the
Dharma, light the lamp of the Dharma, send down the rain of the Dharma,
beat the drum of the Dharma, beat the great drum of the Dharma, blow the
conch of the Dharma, raise the central pillar of the Dharma, and bring
satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma.
1.5 “ ‘I pay homage with my head, voice, and mind to those who are the object
of offering, the object of homage, and the object of respect, and who are wise,
who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and
who have vision. [F.298.b]
1.6 “ ‘While I have been circling in beginningless and endless saṃsāra,
tormented by desire, tormented by anger, and tormented by stupidity, I have
accumulated karmic obstructions with my body, speech, and mind. I have
not acknowledged the Buddha, I have not acknowledged the Dharma, and I
have not acknowledged the Saṅgha. I have not acknowledged what are
good actions and what are bad ones. With malicious intent, I have caused a
tathāgata to bleed, I have forsaken the Dharma, I have caused a division of
the Saṅgha, I have slain a bhikṣu arhat, I have slain my parents, and I have
followed the path of the ten bad actions —the three physical, the four verbal,
and the three mental. I have made others commit them, I have rejoiced in
their accomplishment, and I have spoken harshly to certain beings. I have
maligned. I have cheated with weights. I have cheated with measures. I have
made my parents unhappy. I have stolen the wealth of individuals, of stūpas,
of saṅghas, and of the saṅghas of bhikṣus in the four directions. I have
transgressed the vinaya and the foundations of the training. I have
disobeyed the upādhyāyas and the ācāryas. I have been unpleasant to those
who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna,
entered the Mahāyāna, and every other being —I have reviled and beaten
them with a mind that is obstinate, angry, envious, and miserly. I have
spoken harsh words to buddha bhagavats, have said that the sublime
Dharma is not the Dharma, and have said that that which is not the Dharma
is the sublime Dharma.
1.7 “ ‘All of this I individually confess in the presence of the buddha
bhagavats who are wise, who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are
valid, who have wisdom, and who have vision. I repent them, I do not
conceal them, and I will not repeat them.
1.8 “ ‘Whatever karmic obscurations obscure me —those that will cause me to
be in the hell realms, in the life of an animal, or in the land of the pretas; to be
among the hosts of asuras; [F.299.a] to not be able to please the Buddha,
Dharma, and Saṅgha; and to be born in other unfortunate existences —that
karma will ripen in this body and will not be experienced by anyone else. I
confess each one in the presence of the buddha bhagavats, who are wise,
who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and
who have vision. I repent them, I do not conceal them, and I will not repeat
them.
1.9 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, in practicing for
enlightenment, confessed each of their karmic obscurations, repenting them
and not concealing them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic
obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.
1.10 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in the future, in practicing for
enlightenment, will confess each of their karmic obscurations, repent them,
and not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic
obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.
1.11 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in the ten directions in the present,
in practicing for enlightenment, confess each of their karmic obscurations,
repent them, and do not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of
my karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not
repeat them.
1.12 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, the future, and the
present, in practicing for enlightenment, confess each of their karmic
obscurations, repent them, and do not conceal them, in the same way I
confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal
them, and will not repeat them.’
1.13 “Thus, Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who wishes to attain
purity and absence of obscuration in all Dharmas should in that way confess
their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, [F.299.b] and state
that they will not repeat them.
1.14 “Those who wish to be reborn like a great sal tree among the kṣatriyas,
rich, with great wealth—with great possessions, with gold, with herds, with
many requisites, very happy, and riding in a great carriage —should also in
this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and
state that they will not repeat them.
1.15 “Those who wish to be reborn like a great sal tree among the brahmins, in
a family like a great sal tree, that is rich, with great wealth—great
possessions, gold, herds, many requisites, very happy, and riding in a great
carriage —should also in this way confess their individual karmic
obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.
1.16 “Those who wish to be reborn into the same way of life as that of the
devas of the Cāturmahā-rāja-kāyika should in this way confess their
individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not
repeat them.
1.17 “Those who wish to be reborn among the devas of Trāyastriṃśa, with
their same quality of life, should in this way confess their individual karmic
1.18 “In the same way, those who wish to be reborn into the same way of life as
that of the devas of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmitavaśavartin,
Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya,13 Mahābrahmā,
Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha,
Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Asaṃjñasattva,14
Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, Avṛha, Atapa,15 or Akaniṣṭha should in this way confess
their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they
will not repeat them.
1.19 “Those who wish to be reborn among the devas who have arrived in the
state of infinite space, the state of infinite consciousness, [F.300.a] the state of
nothingness, or the state of neither perception nor nonperception, with their
condition of life, should in this way confess their individual karmic
1.20 “Those who wish to reach the result of a stream entrant, the result of a
once-returner, the result of a non-returner, or to manifest arhathood, should
in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them,
and state that they will not repeat them.
1.21 “Those who wish to have the three knowledges, or the six higher
cognitions, or the strengths, or the powers, or the final goal of the śrāvakas,
or fame as a very powerful śrāvaka, or to manifest the enlightenment of a
pratyekabuddha, should in this way confess their individual karmic
1.22 “Those who wish to accomplish omniscient wisdom, completely pure
wisdom, inconceivable wisdom, unequaled wisdom, and the wisdom of
complete buddhahood should in this way confess their individual karmic
1.23 “Why is that? Śāriputra, the Tathāgata has taught, ‘All phenomena
originate through dependence.’ Because of certain causes and conditions,
there is creation or cessation. The qualities that transcend this have no
cessation or end, and they also do not have the slightest karmic obscuration.
They arise from the absence of anything that is composite. Why is that?
Śāriputra, the Tathāgata has taught, ‘All phenomena are empty, have no
being, have no soul, have no individuality, are unborn, are unceasing,
[F.300.b] and are noncomposite.’
1.24 “Śāriputra, all phenomena do not16 arise from self or have a self. Śāriputra,
the engagement by a noble son or noble daughter in the nature of the
ultimate Dharma of no being is called the end of the continuity of karmic
obscuration, and that, Śāriputra, is the confession.”
1.25 Venerable Śāriputra then asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a
noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has
entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other
being who is seeking the highest, most complete enlightenment of
buddhahood, rejoice in the roots of merit?”
1.26 After Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said to him,
“Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna,
or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or
any other being who is seeking the highest, most complete enlightenment of
buddhahood, should three times each day and three times each night, with
the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their palms
together in homage, and say these words:
1.27 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit has arisen from the
generosity of beings in the ten directions, from their good conduct, and from
the merit that has arisen from their meditation. [F.301.a] I rejoice in that merit
with a joy that is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent,
the highest, unsurpassable, superlative, unequaled, and that has no equal.
1.28 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit is arising from the
the merit that is arising from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy
that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
1.29 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit will arise from the
the merit that will arise from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy
that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
1.30 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the roots of merit possessed by those
bodhisattvas in the present who have first developed the aspiration to
enlightenment, in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas during a
hundred eons, in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas who have
attained patience in the birthlessness of phenomena, in all the accumulations
of merit of those who have become irreversible, and in all the accumulations
of merit of bodhisattvas who have one life remaining. I rejoice in them with
joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
1.31 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the good roots of possessing the six
perfections that were produced by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas during their
past bodhisattva practice. I rejoice in them with a joy that is sublime,
preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest,
unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.
1.32 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the accumulations of merit from
possessing the six perfections that will be produced by the bodhisattva
mahāsattvas in their bodhisattva practice in the future. [F.301.b] I rejoice in
them with a joy that is sublime, pre-eminent, superior, complete, perfect,
excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has
no equal.
1.33 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the accumulations of merit from
possessing the six perfections that are being produced by the bodhisattva
mahāsattvas in their bodhisattva practice in the present. I rejoice in them
with a joy that is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent,
the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.
1.34 “ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the
tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the past, who for the sake of benefit17
for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for
the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of
beings, devas and humans, attained the highest, most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood; turned the wheel of the Dharma; taught the
wheel of the Dharma; possessed the way of the Dharma; gave the gift of the
Dharma; lit the lamp of the Dharma; sent down the rain of the Dharma; beat
the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blew the conch
of the Dharma; raised the central pillar of the Dharma; and brought
satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which roots of
merit were generated by beings who entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who
entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who entered the Bodhisattvayāna,
or any other beings. I rejoice in them [F.302.a] with a joy that is … and so on,
until and that has no equal.
tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the future, who for the sake of the
benefit18 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of
compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of
multitudes of beings, devas and humans, will attain the highest, most
complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turn the wheel of the Dharma;
teach the wheel of the Dharma; possess the way of the Dharma; give the gift
of the Dharma; light the lamp of the Dharma; send down the rain of the
Dharma; beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma;
blow the conch of the Dharma; raise the central pillar of the Dharma; and
bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which
roots of merit will be generated by beings who have entered the
Śrāvakayāna, beings who have entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings
who have entered the Bodhisattvayāna, or any other beings. I rejoice in them
with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.
tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the present time in the worlds of the
ten directions, who for the sake of the benefit19 for many beings, for the
happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the
welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans,
have attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood;
turn the wheel of the Dharma; teach the wheel of the Dharma; possess the
way of the Dharma; give the gift of the Dharma; light the lamp of the Dharma;
send down the rain of the Dharma; beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the
great drum of the Dharma; blow the conch of the Dharma; raise the central
pillar of the Dharma; and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the
Dharma, through which the roots of merit are generated by beings who have
entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who have entered the
Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who have entered the Bodhisattvayāna or any
other beings. I rejoice in them with a joy that is … and so on, until and that has
no equal.’ [F.302.b]
1.37 “Śāriputra, this is rejoicing’s aggregation of merit. If a noble son or noble
daughter rejoices with this merit from rejoicing, they will generate many
incalculable, measureless aggregations of merit.
1.38 “Śāriputra, if the beings in not only this trichiliocosm world realm but in as
many world realms as there are grains of sand in the Ganges River were all
arhats, whose defilements had ceased, and if a noble son or noble daughter
were to serve them for as long as they lived with clothing, food, medicines
when ill, and other requisites, even then someone who rejoices through this
rejoicing would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit.
1.39 “Therefore, Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who wishes for the
highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood should rejoice with
this kind of rejoicing. A woman who wishes to attain a male’s organs, who
wishes to exchange her female organs for them, should rejoice with this kind
of rejoicing.”
1.40 When the Bhagavat had said that, Venerable Śāriputra said to the
Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I pray that you teach the accumulation of
supplications that illuminates the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the future and
gives rise to aspiration in the bodhisattvas of the present.”
1.41 When Venerable Śāriputra had said that, the Bhagavat replied to him,
any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of
buddhahood, [F.303.a] should three times each day and three times each
night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place
their palms together in homage, and say these words:
1.42 “ ‘I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time in the
worlds of the ten directions have attained the highest, most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood.
1.43 “ ‘Through my paying homage to those buddha bhagavats, and
requesting them to turn the wheel of the Dharma, I pray that those buddha
bhagavats, for the sake of benefit20 for many beings, for the happiness of
many beings, out of compassion for the world, [F.303.b] and for the welfare,
benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, turn the
wheel of the Dharma. I pray that they teach the wheel of the Dharma. I pray
that they possess the way of the Dharma. I pray that they give the gift of the
Dharma. I pray that they light the lamp of the Dharma. I pray that they send
down the rain of the Dharma. I pray that they let fall the rain of the Dharma. I
pray that they beat the drum of the Dharma. I pray that they beat the great
drum of the Dharma. I pray that they blow the conch of the Dharma. I pray
that they raise the central pillar of the Dharma.’
1.44 “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the
Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the
Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times
each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee,
place palms together in homage, and say these words:
1.45 “ ‘I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time in the
worlds of the ten directions are giving up their composite life.
1.46 “ ‘Through my paying homage to those buddha bhagavats, and
requesting them to turn the wheel of the Dharma, I pray that those buddha
bhagavats, for the sake of benefit21 for many beings, for the happiness of
many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit,
and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, turn the wheel of
the Dharma, light the lamp of the Dharma, send down the rain of the Dharma,
let fall the rain of the Dharma, beat the drum of the Dharma, beat the great
drum of the Dharma, blow the conch of the Dharma, raise the central pillar of
the Dharma, increase the lamp of the Dharma, and satisfy all beings with the
gift of the Dharma.
1.47 “ ‘I also dedicate this accumulation of supplications to the highest, most
complete enlightenment. I dedicate this in such a way that it is dedicated to
the highest, most complete enlightenment.’
1.48 “Śāriputra, this is the accumulation of supplications. If a noble son or
noble daughter were to supplicate with this accumulation of supplications,
they would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.
1.49 “Śāriputra, if a noble son or noble daughter were to make an offering to
the tathāgatas of the entire trichiliocosm world realm filled with the seven
jewels, someone who supplicates the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the
Dharma would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.
1.50 “Śāriputra, let alone this trichiliocosm world realm—Śāriputra, if a noble
son or noble daughter were to make an offering to the tathāgatas of as many
trichiliocosm world realms filled with the seven jewels as there are grains of
sand in the Ganges River, still, someone who supplicates the tathāgatas to
turn the wheel of the Dharma would create immeasurably, incalculably
greater merit than that.
1.51 “Why is that? Śāriputra, when in the past I was practicing bodhisattva
conduct, I supplicated the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the Dharma.
[F.304.a] It is because of that root of merit that Śakra, the lord of the devas,
and Brahmā, the lord of Sahā, supplicated me to turn the wheel of the
Dharma, saying, ‘Bhagavat, we pray that you turn the wheel of the Dharma
for the sake of benefit22 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings,
out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness
of multitudes of beings, devas and humans.’
1.52 “Śāriputra, when in the past I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, I
prayed that the tathāgatas remain for a long time. It is because of that root of
merit that I have attained the four confidences, the ten strengths of the
tathāgatas, the eighteen unique qualities of a buddha, the four discernments,
great love, great compassion, and complete nirvāṇa, and that my Dharma
will remain for a long time.”
1.53 When the Bhagavat had said that, Venerable Śāriputra asked the
Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter who has
entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has
entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most
complete enlightenment of buddhahood, dedicate their roots of merit in
order to gain omniscience?”
1.54 When Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said to him,
any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of
buddhahood, [F.304.b] should three times each day and three times each
night say these words:
1.55 “ ‘Whatever good roots I have created while circling in beginningless and
endless saṃsāra—whatever good roots I have from giving even a handful of
food to the Buddha, to the Dharma, to the Saṅgha, or even to those reborn as
an animal, or to any other being; whatever good roots I have from
confession, from supplication, from taking refuge, or from possessing the
basis of the training; whatever good roots I have from individual
confessions; whatever merit I have from rejoicing; and whatever good roots I
have from supplication—I gather them all into one, and with a mind that is
tamed, liberated, and without grasping, I bestow all of that together on all
beings.
1.56 “ ‘Just as the buddha bhagavats, with the unimpeded wisdom of
buddhahood, know their giving of the roots of merit to all beings, I give the
roots of merit in the same way.
1.57 “ ‘May all beings have jewels in their hands. May they attain the treasury
of space, enjoyment that knows no end, merit that knows no end, Dharma
that knows no end, knowledge that knows no end, eloquence that knows no
end, the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, and
omniscient wisdom.
1.58 “ ‘I combine into one and unify whatever merit arises from my bestowing
the roots of merit on all beings, and I dedicate it to the highest, most
complete enlightenment.
1.59 “ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most
complete enlightenment of buddhahood and may we attain omniscient
wisdom.
1.60 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, practicing for the sake
of enlightenment, [F.305.a] dedicated their roots of merit for the sake of
omniscience, in that same way I also dedicate my roots of merit for the sake
of omniscience.
wisdom.
1.62 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the future, practicing for the sake
of enlightenment, will dedicate their roots of merit for the sake of
omniscience, in that same way I also will dedicate my roots of merit for the
sake of omniscience.
wisdom.
1.64 “ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the present, practicing for the
sake of enlightenment, dedicate their roots of merit for the sake of
omniscience, in that same way I also dedicate my roots of merit for the sake
of omniscience.
wisdom.
1.66 Just as the Bhagavat Tathāgata Śākyamuni sat upon the Bodhimaṇḍa;
remained in the inconceivable, stainless, and extremely difficult samādhi of
buddhahood; defeated evil Māra; and at dawn obtained the amṛta of wisdom
that in an instant had all knowledge, had the view, had realization, had
complete enlightenment, and had gained the buddhahood of the path to
deathlessness, in that same way may I and all beings attain the highest, most
complete enlightenment of buddhahood. [F.305.b] May we attain omniscient
wisdom.
1.67 “ ‘Just as the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas, including the Bhagavat
Tathāgata Amitābha,23 Varaprabha, Virtue of Light, Puṇyaprabha, Akṣobhya,
Siṃha,24 Śatakiraṇa, Exalted Light Rays, Net of Light, Ratnārci, Prabhājvala,
King of Illumination, Vibhūṣita, Ratnaketu, Dharmadhvaja, and Varāṅga,
and other buddha bhagavats who attained the highest, most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood, turned the wheel of the Dharma for the sake
of benefit25 for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of
compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of
multitudes of beings, devas and humans, in the same way may I and all
beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and
turn the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit26 for many beings, for
the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the
welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans.’
1.68 “Śāriputra, that is the accumulation of dedication. The previous
accumulations of merit cannot approach the vastness of this accumulation of
dedication and cannot even serve as an analogy for it.
1.69 “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who obtains this sūtra, learns it,
possesses it, reads it, and teaches it widely to others will develop an even
greater, incalculable, measureless accumulation of merit.
1.70 “Śāriputra, if all the past and future beings that are in a trichiliocosm world
realm were to attain human bodies, and having gained human bodies,
without distinction between past and future, were to each attain
enlightenment, and if a noble son or noble daughter were to serve them
throughout their lives with robes, food, bedding, medicine when ill, and
requisites in order to honor them and revere them; and if they were to spend
a heap of jewels the size of Sumeru each time they attended them; [F.306.a]
and if, when they had passed into nirvāṇa, they were to create stūpas for
them ten yojanas high and made of the seven precious materials —gold,
silver, pearls, beryl, crystal, white coral, and red pearls —and then make
offerings to them with parasols, banners, flags, and streamers, then,
Śāriputra, what do you think? Would that noble son or noble daughter
generate much merit upon that basis?”
1.71 “Bhagavat, there would be much,” replied Śāriputra. “Sugata, there would
be much.”
1.72 “Śāriputra,” continued the Bhagavat, “a noble son or noble daughter who
possesses this sūtra, learns it, recites it, reads it, teaches it to many people,
and prays for the highest, most complete enlightenment will generate even
greater merit. The previous accumulations of merit cannot approach the
vastness of this accumulation of merit; they cannot even serve as an analogy
for it.
1.73 “Why is that? Śāriputra, it is because a noble son or noble daughter who is
established in this practice requests the buddha bhagavats in the world
realms in the ten directions to turn the wheel of the Dharma.
1.74 “Śāriputra, I have taught that the giving of the Dharma is the supreme act
of generosity.”
1.75 Then ten thousand beings within that assembly rose from their seats, and
with their upper robes over one shoulder, knelt on their right knees, placed
their palms together in homage, and bowed toward the Bhagavat. They said
to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, we will possess this sūtra. We will teach it
widely to others. We will maintain its practice. Why is that? Bhagavat, it is
because we are intent upon attaining the highest, most complete
enlightenment of buddhahood through that kind of virtuous Dharma.”
1.76 Then Śakra, the lord of the devas, cast coral tree flowers over the Bhagavat
and this Dharma teaching. Having scattered them, he said, “Bhagavat, this is
a greatly cherished Dharma teaching that creates the roots of merit for
bodhisattvas [F.306.b] and ends the continuity of the obscuration of karma.”
1.77 “It is like that, Kauśika, it is like that,” said the Bhagavat. “Why is that?
Lord of devas, I remember that innumerable eons beyond innumerable eons
in the past, there appeared in the world a tathāgata arhat
samyaksaṃbuddha, one with wisdom and pure conduct, a sugata, a knower
of the world, an unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, a teacher of gods
and humans, a buddha, a bhagavat named Mahāraśmiskandha.
1.78 “Lord of devas, the lifespan of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha
Mahāraśmiskandha was six hundred million years. His first assembly of
śrāvakas numbered a trillion,27 and they were all arhats whose outflows had
ceased. His second assembly of śrāvakas numbered ninety-eight trillion and
they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased. His third assembly of
śrāvakas numbered ninety-nine trillion and they were all arhats whose
outflows had ceased.
1.79 “Lord of devas, the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha
Mahāraśmiskandha was active in order to benefit beings of the world with
its devas, with its Brahmā, and with its mendicants and brahmins.
1.80 “Lord of devas, at that time, the female Gaṅgadevī entered the gathered
assembly of his followers, and present there she obtained from the Tathāgata
Mahāraśmiskandha this Dharma teaching. She learned it and, having
acquired it, taught it to many beings, and set forth toward the highest, most
complete enlightenment. When she passed away, she left behind a female
body and obtained a male’s faculties and was always thereafter reborn
among devas or humans, became a cakravartin king eighty-four thousand
times, and then became the Tathāgata Ratnārci.
1.81 “Kauśika, even now I see him teaching the Dharma in the east in a trillion
buddha realms.
1.82 “Kauśika, anyone who hears the name of the tathāgata arhat
samyaksaṃbuddha Ratnārci will definitely pass into nirvāṇa. [F.307.a] Any
woman who hears the name of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha
Ratnārci, or perceives him at the time of death, will have been in her last
female existence.28
1.83 “Lord of devas, thus this Dharma teaching is the accomplishment of the
good roots of bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas, and the cherishing of the
ending of karma’s obscurations.”
1.84 Then Śakra, the lord of devas, asked the Bhagavat, “What is the name of
this Dharma teaching and how should we keep it?”
1.85 The Bhagavat said to Śakra, the lord of devas, “Kauśika, you should keep
this Dharma teaching as Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations. Keep it as The
Bodhisattva Piṭaka. Also keep it as The Ending of Doubt.”
1.86 When the Bhagavat had said those words, Śakra, the lord of devas,
Venerable Śāriputra, and the world with its devas, humans, asuras, and
gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Bhagavat.
1.87 The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations” is concluded.
c. Colophon
c.1 Translated and revised by the upādhyāyas Jinamitra and Dānaśīla, and by
the lotsawa Yeshé Dé, the chief editor, and definitively revised according to
the new language reform.29
n. NOTES
n.1 Bhavya, Precious Lamp of the Middle Way (Madhyamakaratnapradīpa, Toh 3854);
Alaṁkārabhadra, bzang po spyod pa’i smon lam gyi rgyal po’i rgya cher ’grel pa
(Bhadracaryāpraṇidhānarājaṭīkā, Toh 4014), 246.b.
n.2 Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna, byang chub lam gyi sgron ma’i dka’ ’grel (Bodhimārgapradīpa-
pañjikā, Toh 3948), 245.b.
n.3 Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna, dbu ma’i man ngag rin po che’i za ma tog kha phye ba zhes bya
ba (Ratnakaraṇḍodghāṭanāmamadhyamakopadeśa, Toh 3930), 99.a, 107.b.
n.4 The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (3)

(https://read.84000.co/translation/toh557.html) (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, Toh
557).

556).

555).
n.7 Purification of Karmic Obscurations (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh218.html)

(Karmāvaraṇaviśuddhi, Toh 218).
n.8 Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh216.html)

(Ajātaśatrukaukṛtyavinodana, Toh 216).
n.9 The Śrīgupta Sūtra (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh217.html) (Śrīguptasūtra,

Toh 217).
n.10 Da sheng san ju chan hui jing ⼤乘三聚懺悔經 (Triskandhakapravartanasūtra),
Taishō 1493 (CBETA (https://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/en/T1493_001); SAT
(https://21dzk.l.u-tokyo.ac.jp/SAT2018/T1493.html)).
n.11 This phrase is not repeated in The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, but
otherwise, from this point on until the concluding section, it is repeated
word for word and in the same translation as in chapter 5 of The Sūtra of the
Sublime Golden Light (Toh 556), and in a different translation in chapter 5 of
Toh 555.
n.12 Assuming that the Tibetan sman pa (“healing” or “doctor”) is the common
error in transcription for phan pa (“benefit”), which are very similar in the dbu
med script.
n.13 This differs from the usual list of paradises, where there are only three
Brahmā paradises and Brahmapariṣadya is a synonym for Brahmakāyika.
This list is said to come from a Vibhajyavāda “Distinctionist” tradition, which
held views on the existence of phenomena that differed from those of the
Sarvāstivāda tradition, which is the early tradition primarily transmitted into
Tibet.
n.14 This paradise occurs only in the Vibhajyavāda cosmology. The

corresponding passage in Toh 555, which was translated from the Chinese
version, accords with the more common cosmology in Tibetan canonical
texts.
n.15 The order in the most common cosmology (as followed by Toh 555) is Avṛha,
Atapa, Sudṛśa, and Sudarśana.
n.16 According to Toh 555. Here and in Toh 556 the negative is missing with yin
apparently written in error for min.
med script.
med script.
med script.
Assuming that the Tibetan sman pa (“healing” or “doctor”) is the common
n.20 error in transcription for phan pa (“benefit”), which are very similar in the dbu
med script.
med script.
med script.
n.23 Toh 555 has Amitāyus (tshe dpag tu med pa).
n.24 seng ge. Toh 555 has seng ge’i ’od.
med script.
med script.
n.27 Literally “a hundred thousand ten-millions.”
n.28 Here is where this portion of the sūtra concludes in the two longer versions.
n.29 This reform of the spelling of written Tibetan, which included, for example,
eliminating the second suffix d, was made in 816, during the reign of Tritsuk
Detsen, a.k.a. Ralpachen (born circa 806, reigned 815–838).
b. BIBLIOGRAPHY
· Primary Sources in Tibetan and Chinese ·
las kyi sgrib pa gcod pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karmāvaraṇaprati-
praśrabdhināmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 219, Degé Kangyur vol. 62 (mdo sde,
tsha), folios 297.b–307.a.
gser ’od dam pa’i mdo. Toh 555, Degé Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud ’bum, pa), folios
19.a–151a.
gser ’od dam pa mdo sde’i dbang po’i rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
(Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtrendrarājanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 556, Degé
Kangyur vol. 89 (rgyud ’bum, pa), folios 151.b–273.a.
gser ’od dam pa mdo sde’i dbang po’i rgyal po zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo
(Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtrendrarājanāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 557, Degé
Kangyur vol. 90 (rgyud ’bum, pha), folios 1.a–62.a.
Jin guangming zuisheng wang jin ⾦光明最勝王經. Taishō 665 (CBETA

(https://cbetaonline.dila.edu.tw/en/T0665_001), SAT (https://21dzk.l.u-
tokyo.ac.jp/SAT2018/T0665.html)). (Translation of Suvarṇaprabhāsottama-
sūtra by Yijing 義淨).
· Secondary References—Kangyur ·
dkyil ’khor thams cad kyi spyi’i cho ga gsang ba’i rgyud (Sarvamaṇḍalasāmānyavidhi-
guhyatantra). Toh 806, Degé Kangyur vol. 96 (rgyud, wa), folios 141.a–167.b.
dpal sbas zhes bya ba’i mdo (Śrīguptanāmasūtra). Toh 217, Degé Kangyur vol. 62
(mdo sde, tsha), folios 269.a–284.a. English translation The Śrīgupta Sūtra
(https://read.84000.co/translation/toh217.html) 2021.
ma skyes dgra’i ’gyod pa bsal ba zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Ajātaśatru-
kaukṛtyavinodananāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 216, Degé Kangyur vol. 62 (mdo
sde, tsha), folios 211.b–268.b. English translation Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s
Remorse (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh216.html) 2023.
’jam dpal gyi rtsa ba’i rgyud (Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa). Toh 543, Degé Kangyur vol.88
(rgyud, na), folios 105.a–351.a. English translation The Root Manual of the
Rites of Mañjuśrī (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh543.html) 2020.
’od srung kyi le’u zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Kāśyapaparivartanāma-
mahāyānasūtra). Toh 87, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha), folios
119.b–151.b.
ral pa gyen brdzes kyi rtog pa chen po byang chub sems dpa’ chen po’i rnam par ’phrul
pa le’u rab ’byams las bcom ldan ’das ma ’phags ma sgrol ma’i rtsa ba’i rtog pa zhes
bya ba (Ūrdhvajaṭāmahākalpamahābodhisattvavikurvaṇapaṭalavisarā bhāgavatī
āryatārāmūlakalpanāma). Toh 724, Degé Kangyur vol. 93 (rgyud, tsa), folios
205.b–311.a, and vol. 94 (rgyud, tsha), folios 1.a–200.a.
lang kar gshegs pa’i theg pa chen po’i mdo (Laṅkāvatāramahāyānasūtra). Toh 107,
Degé Kangyur vol. 49 (mdo sde, ca), folios 56.a–191.b.
las kyi sgrib pa rnam par dag pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Karmāvaraṇa-
viśuddhināmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 218, Degé Kangyur vol. 62 (mdo sde, tsha)
folios 284.a–297.b. English translation Purification of Karmic Obscurations
(https://read.84000.co/translation/toh218.html) 2013.
blo gros mi zad pas zhus pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo (Akṣayamatiparipṛcchā-
nāmamahāyānasūtra). Toh 89, Degé Kangyur vol. 44 (dkon brtsegs, cha),
folios 175.b–182.b.
· Secondary References—Tengyur ·
Ajitaśrībhadra. dga’ ba’i bshes gnyen gyi rtogs pa (Nandamitrāvadāna). Toh 4146,
Degé Tengyur vol. 269 (’dul ba, su), folios 240.a–244.b.
Alaṁkārabhadra. bzang po spyod pa’i smon lam gyi rgyal po’i rgya cher ’grel pa
(Bhadracaryā-praṇidhāna-rāja-ṭīkā). Toh 4014, Degé Tengyur vol. 117 (mdo
’grel, nyi), folios 234a–252b.
Ānandagarbha. rdo rje dbyings kyi dkyil ’khor chen po’i cho ga rdo rje thams cad
’byungs ba (Vajradhātumahāmaṇḍalopāyikāsarvavajrodaya). Toh 2516, Degé
Tengyur vol. 62 (rgyud, ku), folios 1.a–50.a.
Anonymous. rgyal po gser gyi lag pa’i smon lam (Rājasuvarṇabhujapraṇidhāna).

Toh 4380, Degé Tengyur vol. 309 (sna tshogs, nyo), folios 309b–310a.
Anonymous. ’jam pa’i rdo rje ’byung ba’i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga sems can thams cad
kyi bde ba bskyed pa (Mañjuvajrodayamaṇḍalopāyikāsarvasattvahitāvahā). Toh
2590, Degé Tengyur vol. 65 (rgyud, ngu), folios 225.a–274.a.
Anonymous. gser ’od dam pa mdo sde dbang po’i smon lam (Suvarṇaprabhāsottama-
sūtrendrapraṇidhāna). Toh 4379, Degé Tengyur vol. 309 (sna tshogs, nyo),
folios 304.b–309.b.
Āryadeva. spyod pa bsdud pa’i sgron ma (Caryāmelāpakapradīpa). Toh 1803, Degé

Tengyur vol. 65 (rgyud, ngi), folios 57.a–106.b.
Bhavya. dbu ma rin po che’i sgron ma (Madhyamakaratnapradīpa). Toh 3854, Degé

Tengyur vol. 199 (dbu ma, tsha), folios 259.b–289.a.
Bhavyakīrti. sgron ma gsal bar byed pa dgongs pa rab gsal zhes bya ba bshad pa’i ti ka
(Pradīpoddyotanābhisaṃdhiprakāśikānāmavyākhyāṭīkā). Toh 1793, Degé Tengyur
vols. 32–33 (rgyud, ki), folios 1.b–292.a, and (rgyud, khi), folios 1.b–155.a.
Bodhisattva. kun nas sgor ’jug pa’i ’od zer gtsug tor dri ma med par snang ba’i
gzungs bklag cing chod rten brgya rtsa brgyad dam mchod rten lnga gdab pa’i cho
ga mdo sde las btus pa (Samantamukhapraveśaraśmivimaloṣṇīṣaprabhāsadhāraṇī-
vacanasūtrāntoddhṛtāṣṭottaraśatacaityāntarapañcacaityanirvapaṇavidhi). Toh
3068, Degé Tengyur vol. 74 (rgyud, pu), folios 140.a–153.a.
Buddhānandagarbha. de bzhin gshegs pa dgra bcom pa yang dag par rdzogs pa’i
sangs rgyas ngan song thams cad yongs su sbyong ba gzi brjid kyi rgyal po zhes bya
ba’i bshad pa (Sarvadurgatipariśodhanatejorājatathāgatārhatsamyaksaṃbuddha-
nāmakalpaṭīkā). Toh 2628, Degé Tengyur vol. 68 (rgyud, ju), folios 1.a–97.a.
Dharmakīrtiśrī. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par
rtogs pa’i rgyan zhes bya ba’i ’grel pa rtogs par dka’ ba’i snang ba zhes bya ba’i ’grel
bshad (Abhisamayālaṃkāranāmaprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstravṛttidurbodhālokanāma-
ṭīkā). Toh 3794, Degé Tengyur vol. 86 (sher phyin, ja), folios 140.b–254.a.
Dharmamitra. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par
rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi tshig le’ur byas pa’i ’grel bshad tshig rab tu gsal ba
(Abhisamayālaṃkārakārikāprajñāpāramitopadeśaśāstraṭīkāprasphuṭapadā). Toh
3796, Degé Tengyur vol. 87 (sher phyin, nya), folios 1.a–110.a.
Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna. dbu ma’i man ngag rin po che’i za ma tog kha phye ba zhes bya
ba (Ratnakaraṇḍodghāṭanāmamadhyamakopadeśa). Toh 3930, Degé Tengyur vol.
212 (dbu ma, ki), folios 96.b–116.b.
— — —. byang chub lam gyi sgron ma’i dka’ ’grel (Bodhimārgapradīpapañjikā). Toh
3948, Degé Tengyur vol. 213 (mdo ’grel, khi), folios 241.a–293.a.
— — —. mngon par rtogs pa rnam par ’byed pa zhes bya ba (Abhisamayavibhaṅga-

nāma). Toh 1490, Degé Tengyur vol. 22 (rgyud, zha), folios 186.a–202.b.
Ekādaśanirghoṣa. rdo rje ’chang chen po’i lam gyi rim pa’i man ngag bdud rtsi
gsang ba (Mahāvajradharapathakramopadeśāmṛtaguhya). Toh 1823, Degé
Tengyur vol. 35 (rgyud, ngi), folios 267.b–278.a.
Haribhadra. shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa brgyad stong pa’i bshad pa mngon par
rtogs pa’i rgyan gyi snang ba (Aṣṭasāhasrikāprajñāpāramitāvyākhyānābhi-
samayālaṃkārāloka). Toh 3791, Degé Tengyur vol. 85 (sher phyin, cha), folios
1.a–341.a.
Kāmadhenu. ngan song thams cad yongs su sbyong ba gzi brjid kyi rgyal po zhes bya
ba cho ga zhib mo’i rgyal po chen po’i rgya cher ’grel pa (Sarvadurgatipariśodhana-
tejorājanāmamahākalparājaṭīkā). Toh 2625, Degé Tengyur vol. 666 (rgyud, cu),
folios 231.a–341.a.
Mañjuśrīkīrti. ’jam dpal gyi mtshan yang dag par brjod pa’i rgya cher bshad pa
(Mañjuśrīnāmasaṃgītiṭīkā). Toh 2534, Degé Tengyur vol. 63 (gyud, khu),
folios 115.b–301.a.
Paltsek (dpal brtsegs). gsung rab rin po che’i gtam rgyud dang shA kya’i rabs
rgyud. Toh 4357, Degé Tengyur vol. 306 (sna tshogs, co), folios 239.a–377.a.
— — —. pho brang stod thang lhan dkar gyi chos ’gyur ro cog gi dkar chag. Toh 4364,
Degé Tengyur vol. 308 (sna tshogs, jo), folios 294.b–310.a.
Pramuditākaravarman. gsang ba ’dus pa rgyud kyi rgyal po’i bshad pa zla ba’i ’od
zer (Guhyasamājatantrarājaṭīkācandraprabhā). Toh 1852, Degé Tengyur vol. 41
(rgyud, thi), folios 120.a–313.a.
Sahajalalita. kun nas sgor ’jug pa’i ’od zer gtsug tor dri ma med par snang ba de bzhin
gshegs pa thams cad kyi snying po dang dam tshig la rnam par blta ba zhes bya ba’i
gzungs kyi rnam par bshad pa (Samantamukhapraveśaraśmivimaloṣṇīṣaprabhāsa-
sarvatathāgatahṛdayasamayavilokitanāmadhāraṇīvṛtti). Toh 2688, Degé Tengyur
vol. 71 (rgyud, thu), folios 269.a–320.b.
Śāntideva. bslab pa kun las btus pa (Śikṣāsamuccaya). Toh 3940, Degé Tengyur
vol. 111 (dbu ma, khi), folios 3.a–194.b.
Sthiramati. rgyan dam pa sna tshogs rim par phye ba bkod pa (Paramālaṃkāraviśva-
paṭalavyūha). Toh 2661, Degé Tengyur vol. 68 (rgyud, ju), folios 317.a–339.a.
Vairocanarakṣita. bslab pa me tog snye ma (Śikṣākusumamañjarī). Toh 3943, Degé

Tengyur vol. 213 (dbu ma, khi), folios 196.a–217.a.
Various authors. bye brag tu rtogs par byed pa [chen po] (Mahāvyutpatti*). Toh
4346, Degé Tengyur vol. 306 (sna tshogs, co), folios 1.a–131.a.
Various authors. sgra sbyor bam po gnyis pa. Toh 4347, Degé Tengyur vol. 306
(sna tshogs, co), folios 131.b–160.a.
Vinayadatta. sgyu ’phrul chen mo’i dkyil ’khor gyi cho ga bla ma’i zhal snga’i man
ngag (Gurūpadeśanāmamahāmāyāmaṇḍalopāyikā). Toh 1645, Degé Tengyur vol.
25 (rgyud, ya), folios 290.a–309.a.
Vitapāda. gsang ba ’dus pa’i dkyil ’khor gyi sgrub pa’i thabs rnam par bshad pa
(Guhyasamājamaṇḍalopāyikāṭīkā). Toh 1873, Degé Tengyur vol. 43 (rgyud, ni),
folios 178.b–219.a.
Wönch’ük (Wen tsheg). dgongs pa zab mo nges par ’grel pa’i mdo rgya cher ’grel pa
(Gambhīrasaṁdhinirmocanasūtraṭīkā). Toh 4016, Degé Tengyur vol. 220 (mdo
’grel, ti), folios 1.b–291.a; vol. 221 (mdo ’grel, thi), folios 1.b–272.a; and vol.
222 (mdo ’grel, di), folios 1.b–175.a.
Yeshe Dé (ye shes sde). lang kar gshegs pa zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo’i ’grel
pa de bzhin gshegs pa’i snying po’i rgyan (Laṅkāvatāranāmamahāyānasūtravṛtti-
tathāgatahṛdayālaṃkāra), Toh 4019, Degé Tengyur vol. 224 (mdo ’grel, pi),
folios 1.a–310.a.
· Other References in Tibetan ·
Kalzang Dolma (skal bzang sgrol ma). lo tsA ba ’gos chos grub dang khong gi
’gyur rtsom mdo mdzangs blun gyi lo tsA’i thabs rtsal skor la dpyad pa. In krung
go’i bod kyi shes rig, vol. 77, pp. 31–53. Beijing: krung go’i bod kyi shes rig
dus deb khang, 2007.
Lotsawa Gö Chödrup (lo tsā ba ’gos chos grub). In gangs ljongs skad gnyis smra
ba du ma’i ’gyur byang blo gsal dga’ skyed, pp. 17–18. Xining: kan lho bod rigs
rang skyong khul rtsom sgyur cu’u, 1983.
Ngawang Lobsang Choden (nga dbang blo bzang chos ldan). ’phags pa gser
’od dam pa mdo sde’i dbang po’i rgyal po’i ’don thabs cho ga (A Rite That is a
Method for Reciting the Noble Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light), s.n. s.l. n.d.
Pema Karpo (pad ma dkar po). gser ’od dam pa nas gsungs pa’i bshags pa. In The
Collected Works of Kun-mkhyen padma dkar po, vol. 9 (ta), pp. 519–24.
Darjeeling: kargyu sungrab nyamso khang, 1973–74.
· Other References in English and Other Languages ·
Bagchi, S., ed. Suvarṇaprabhāsasūtram. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute, 1967.

Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon.
Banerjee, Radha. Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra. London: British Library, 2006.
Buswell Jr., Robert E., and Donald Lopez Jr. The Princeton Dictionary of
Buddhism. Princeton University Press, 2014.
Di, Guan. “The Sanskrit Fragments Preserved in Arthur M. Sackler Museum
of Peking University.” Annual Report of the Research Institute for Advanced
Buddhology at Soka University for the Academic Year 2013, vol. XVII (Tokyo
Soka University, 2014): 109–18.
Lewis, Todd T. “Contributions to the Study of Popular Buddhism: The Newar

Buddhist Festival of Guṃlā Dharma.” Journal of the International Association of
Buddhist Studies 16, no. 2 (Winter 1993): 309–54.
Nanjio Bunyiu, Idzumi Hokei. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra: A Mahāyāna Text

Called “The Golden Splendour.” Kyoto: The Eastern Buddhist Society, 1931.
Nobel, Johannes (1937). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein

Sanskrit text des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus. Nach den Handschriften und mit Hilfe
der tibetischen und chinesischen Übertragungen. Leipzig: Harrassowitz.
— — — (1944). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit text des

Mahāyāna-Buddhismus. Die Tibetischen Überstzungen mit einem Wörterbuch.
Leiden: E. J. Brill.
— — — (1944, 1950). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit

text des Mahāyāna-Buddhismus. Die Tibetishcen Überstzungen mit einem
Wörterbuch. 2 vols. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
Radich, Michael (2014). “On the Sources, Style and Authorship of Chapters of
the Synoptic Suvarṇaprabhasa-sūtra T644 Ascribed to Paramārtha (Part
1).” Annual Report of the Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka
University for the Academic Year 2013, vol. XVII (Tokyo Soka University,
2014): 207–44.
— — — (2016). “Tibetan Evidence for the Sources of Chapters of the Synoptic

Suvarṇa-prabhāsottama-sūtra T 664 A Ascribed to Paramārtha.” Buddhist
Studies Review 32.2 (2015): 245–70. Sheffield, UK: Equinox Publishing.
Tanaka, Kimiaki. An Illustrated History of the Mandala From Its Genesis to the
Kālacakratantra. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2018.
Tyomkin, E. N. “Unique Sanskrit Fragments of ‘The Sūtra of Golden Light’ in

the Manuscript Collection of the St. Petersburg Branch of the Institute of
Oriental Studies.” In Manuscripta Orientalia vol. 1, no. 1 (July 1995): 29–38. St.
Petersburg: Russian Academy of Sciences.
Yuama, Akira. “The Golden Light in Central Asia.” In Annual Report of the
International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University for
the Academic Year 2003 (Tokyo: Soka University, 2004): 3–32.
· Translations ·
84000. Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse
(https://read.84000.co/translation/toh216.html) (Ajātaśatrukaukṛtyavinodana, ma
skyes dgra’i ’gyod pa bsal ba, Toh 216). Translated by Dharmachakra
Translation Committee. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words
of the Buddha, 2023.
— — —. Purification of Karmic Obscurations

(https://read.84000.co/translation/toh218.html) (Karmāvaraṇaviśuddhi, las kyi sgrib
pa rnam par dag pa, Toh 218). Translated by Garchen Buddhist Institute
Translation Group. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the
Buddha, 2013.
— — —. The Śrīgupta Sūtra (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh217.html)

(Śrīguptasūtra, dpal sbas kyi mdo, Toh 217). Translated by Karen Liljenberg
and Ulrich Pagel. Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the
Buddha, 2021.
— — —. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (1)

(https://read.84000.co/translation/toh555.html) (Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, gser
’od dam pa’i mdo, Toh 555). Translated by Peter Alan Roberts and team.
Online publication. 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2023.


Emmerick, R. E. The Sūtra of Golden Light. Oxford: The Pali Text Society, 2004.
Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Sutra of

Golden Light, 21-Chapter.
Nobel, Johannes. Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, Das Goldglanz-Sutra, ein

Sanskrittext des Mahayana Buddhismus. I-Tsing’s chinesische Version und ihre
Übersetzung. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1958.
g. GLOSSARY
· Types of attestation for names and terms of the corresponding ·

source language
AS Attested in source text

This term is attested in a manuscript used as a source for this translation.
AO Attested in other text

This term is attested in other manuscripts with a parallel or similar context.
AD Attested in dictionary
This term is attested in dictionaries matching Tibetan to the corresponding
language.
AA Approximate attestation
The attestation of this name is approximate. It is based on other names
where the relationship between the Tibetan and source language is attested
in dictionaries or other manuscripts.
RP Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering

This term is a reconstruction based on the Tibetan phonetic rendering of the
term.
RS Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering

This term is a reconstruction based on the semantics of the Tibetan
translation.
SU Source unspecified
This term has been supplied from an unspecified source, which most often
is a widely trusted dictionary.
g.1 Ābhāsvara
’od gsal
ད་གསལ།
ābhāsvara
“Clear Light.” The highest of the three paradises that correspond to the
second dhyāna in the form realm.
g.2 ācārya
slob dpon
བ་དན།
ācārya
A spiritual teacher, meaning one who knows the conduct or practice (ācāra)
to be performed. It can also be a title for a scholar, though that is not the
context in this sūtra.
g.3 Akaniṣṭha
’og min
ག་ན།
akaniṣṭha
Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:
The eighth and highest level of the Realm of Form (rūpadhātu), the last of the
five pure abodes (śuddhāvāsa); it is only accessible as the result of specific
states of dhyāna. According to some texts this is where non-returners
(anāgāmin) dwell in their last lives. In other texts it is the realm of the
enjoyment body (saṃbhogakāya) and is a buddhafield associated with the
Buddha Vairocana; it is accessible only to bodhisattvas on the tenth level.
g.4 Akṣobhya
mi ’khrugs pa
་འགས་པ།
akṣobhya AS
Lit. “Not Disturbed” or “Immovable One.” The buddha in the eastern realm
of Abhirati. A well-known buddha in Mahāyāna, regarded in the higher
tantras as the head of one of the five buddha families, the vajra family in the
east.
g.5 Amitābha
’od dpag med
ད་དཔག་ད།
amitābha AS
The buddha of the western buddhafield of Sukhāvatī, where fortunate
beings are reborn to make further progress toward spiritual maturity.
Amitābha made his great vows to create such a realm when he was a
bodhisattva called Dharmākara. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, popular
in East Asia, aspiring to be reborn in his buddha realm is the main emphasis;
in other Mahāyāna traditions, too, it is a widespread practice. For a detailed
description of the realm, see The Display of the Pure Land of Sukhāvatī, Toh 115.
In some tantras that make reference to the five families he is the tathāgata
associated with the lotus family.
Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as

Amitāyus, “Infinite Life.” In both East Asian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions
he is often conflated with another buddha named “Infinite Life,”
Aparimitāyus, or “Infinite Life and Wisdom,”Aparimitāyurjñāna, the shorter
version of whose name has also been back-translated from Tibetan into
Sanskrit as Amitāyus but who presides over a realm in the zenith. For details
on the relation between these buddhas and their names, see The
Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (1) Toh 674, i.9.
g.6 amṛta
bdud rtsi
བད་།
amṛta
The nectar of immortality possessed by the devas, it is used as a metaphor
for the teaching that brings liberation.
g.7 Anabhraka
sprin med
ན་ད།
anabhraka
“Cloudless.” In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, the lowest of the three paradises
that correspond to the fourth dhyāna in the form realm. Translated in other
texts as sprin dang bral ba.
g.8 Anāthapiṇḍada
mgon med pa la zas sbyin pa · mgon med zas sbyin
མན་ད་པ་ལ་ཟས་ན་པ། · མན་ད་ཟས་ན།
anāthapiṇḍada
A wealthy merchant in the town of Śrāvastī, famous for his generosity to the
poor, who became a patron of the Buddha Śākyamuni. He bought Prince
Jeta’s Grove (Skt. Jetavana), to be the Buddha’s first monastery, a place where
the monks could stay during the monsoon.
g.9 Apramāṇābha
tshad med ’od
ཚད་ད་ད།
apramāṇābha
“Immeasurable Light.” The second highest of the three paradises that
correspond to the second dhyāna in the form realm. Translated in other texts
as tshad med snang ba.
g.10 Apramāṇaśubha
tshad med dge
ཚད་ད་ད
apramāṇaśubha
“Immeasurable Goodness.” The second highest of the three paradises that
correspond to the third dhyāna in the form realm.
g.11 arhat
dgra bcom pa
ད་བམ་པ།
arhat
According to Buddhist tradition, one who is worthy of worship (pūjām arhati),
or one who has conquered the enemies, the mental afflictions (kleśa-ari-hata-
vat), and reached liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is the
fourth and highest of the four fruits attainable by śrāvakas. Also used as an
epithet of the Buddha.
g.12 Asaṃjñasattva
sems can ’du shes med pa
མས་ཅན་འ་ས་ད་པ།
asaṃjñasattva
“Beings without Perception.” A heavenly realm listed in this text between
the twelfth heaven of the form realm, Bṛhatphala, and the five Pure Abodes
of the form realm, known collectively as Śuddhāvāsa.
g.13 Atapa
mi gdung ba
་གང་བ།
atapa
This is the fourth highest of the five Śuddhāvāsa paradises, the highest
paradises in the form realm. In this sūtra it is the second highest. Here
translated as meaning “Not Pained.” In other texts translated as ma dros pa
(“Not Warm”).
g.14 Avṛha
mi che ba
་་བ།
avṛha
In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, this is the lowest of the five Śuddhāvāsa
paradises, the highest paradises in the form realm, and is said to be the most
common rebirth for the “non-returners” of the Śrāvakayāna. In this sūtra it is
the third highest.
g.15 bhagavat
bcom ldan ’das
བམ་ན་འདས།
bhagavat
In Buddhist literature, this is an epithet applied to buddhas, most often to
Śākyamuni. The Sanskrit term generally means “possessing fortune,” but in
specifically Buddhist contexts it implies that a buddha is in possession of six
auspicious qualities (bhaga) associated with complete awakening. The
Tibetan term—where bcom is said to refer to “subduing” the four māras, ldan
to “possessing” the great qualities of buddhahood, and ’das to “going
beyond” saṃsāra and nirvāṇa—possibly reflects the commentarial tradition
where the Sanskrit bhagavat is interpreted, in addition, as “one who destroys
the four māras.” This is achieved either by reading bhagavat as bhagnavat
(“one who broke”), or by tracing the word bhaga to the root √bhañj (“to
break”).
g.16 bhikṣu
dge slong
ད་ང་།
bhikṣu
The term bhikṣu, often translated as “monk,” refers to the highest among the
eight types of prātimokṣa vows that make one part of the Buddhist assembly.
The Sanskrit term literally means “beggar” or “mendicant,” referring to the
fact that Buddhist monks and nuns —like other ascetics of the time —
subsisted on alms (bhikṣā) begged from the laity.
In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk

follows 253 rules as part of his moral discipline. A nun (bhikṣuṇī; dge slong ma)
follows 364 rules. A novice monk (śrāmaṇera; dge tshul) or nun (śrāmaṇerikā; dge
tshul ma) follows thirty-six rules of moral discipline (although in other vinaya
traditions novices typically follow only ten).
g.17 Brahmā
tshangs pa
ཚངས་པ།
brahmā
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).
g.18 Brahmakāyika
tshangs ris
ཚངས་ས།
brahmakāyika
“Brahmā’s Multitude.” The lowest of the three paradises that form the
paradises of the first dhyāna in the form realm.
g.19 Brahmapariṣadya
tshangs ’khor
ཚངས་འར།
brahmapariṣadya AD
“Brahmā’s Entourage.” In this sūtra the highest of the three paradises that
correspond to the first dhyāna in the form realm.
g.20 Brahmapurohita
tshangs pa’i mdun na ’don
ཚངས་པ་མན་ན་འན།
brahmapurohita
“Brahmā’s Principals.” Often the second highest of the three paradises that
correspond to the first dhyāna in the form realm. Here it is the third highest
with the addition of another Brahmā paradise.
g.21 brahmin
bram ze
མ་།
brāhmaṇa
A member of the highest of the four castes in Indian society, which is closely
associated with religious vocations.
g.22 Bṛhatphala
’bras bu che
འས་་།
bṛhatphala
In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, the highest of the three paradises that
correspond to the fourth dhyāna in the form realm.
g.23 cakravartin
khor los sgyur ba
ར་ས་ར་བ།
cakravartin
An ideal monarch or emperor who, as the result of the merit accumulated in
previous lifetimes, rules over a vast realm in accordance with the Dharma.
Such a monarch is called a cakravartin because he bears a wheel (cakra) that
rolls (vartate) across the earth, bringing all lands and kingdoms under his
power. The cakravartin conquers his territory without causing harm, and his
activity causes beings to enter the path of wholesome actions. According to
Vasubandhu’s Abhidharmakośa, just as with the buddhas, only one
cakravartin appears in a world system at any given time. They are likewise
endowed with the thirty-two major marks of a great being
(mahāpuruṣalakṣaṇa), but a cakravartin’s marks are outshined by those of a
buddha. They possess seven precious objects: the wheel, the elephant, the
horse, the wish-fulfilling gem, the queen, the general, and the minister. An
illustrative passage about the cakravartin and his possessions can be found
in The Play in Full (Toh 95), 3.3–3.13.
Vasubandhu lists four types of cakravartins: (1) the cakravartin with a

golden wheel (suvarṇacakravartin) rules over four continents and is invited by
lesser kings to be their ruler; (2) the cakravartin with a silver wheel
(rūpyacakravartin) rules over three continents and his opponents submit to
him as he approaches; (3) the cakravartin with a copper wheel
(tāmracakravartin) rules over two continents and his opponents submit
themselves after preparing for battle; and (4) the cakravartin with an iron
wheel (ayaścakravartin) rules over one continent and his opponents submit
themselves after brandishing weapons.
g.24 Cāturmahā-rāja-kāyika
rgyal chen bzhi’i ris
ལ་ན་བ་ས།
cāturmahārājakāyika
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.
g.25 confidence
mi ’jigs pa
་འགས་པ།
vaiśāradya
See the “four confidences.”
g.26 Dānaśīla
dA na shI la
་ན་་ལ།
dānaśīla
An Indian paṇḍita who was resident in Tibet during the late eighth and
early ninth centuries.
g.27 defilements
zag pa
ཟག་པ།
āsrava
Literally, “to flow” or “to ooze.” Mental defilements or contaminations that
“flow out” toward the objects of cyclic existence, binding us to them.
Vasubandhu offers two alternative explanations of this term: “They cause
beings to remain (āsayanti) within saṃsāra” and “They flow from the Summit
of Existence down to the Avīci hell, out of the six wounds that are the sense
fields” (Abhidharmakośabhāṣya 5.40; Pradhan 1967, p. 308). The Summit of
Existence (bhavāgra, srid pa’i rtse mo) is the highest point within saṃsāra,
while the hell called Avīci (mnar med) is the lowest; the six sense fields
(āyatana, skye mched) here refer to the five sense faculties plus the mind, i.e.,
the six internal sense fields.
g.28 deva
lha
།
deva
In the most general sense the devas —the term is cognate with the English
divine—are a class of celestial beings who frequently appear in Buddhist
texts, often at the head of the assemblies of nonhuman beings who attend
and celebrate the teachings of the Buddha Śākyamuni and other buddhas
and bodhisattvas. In Buddhist cosmology the devas occupy the highest of
the five or six “destinies” (gati) of saṃsāra among which beings take rebirth.
The devas reside in the devalokas, “heavens” that traditionally number
between twenty-six and twenty-eight and are divided between the desire
realm (kāmadhātu), form realm (rūpadhātu), and formless realm (ārūpyadhātu). A
being attains rebirth among the devas either through meritorious deeds (in
the desire realm) or the attainment of subtle meditative states (in the form
and formless realms). While rebirth among the devas is considered favorable,
it is ultimately a transitory state from which beings will fall when the
conditions that lead to rebirth there are exhausted. Thus, rebirth in the god
realms is regarded as a diversion from the spiritual path.
g.29 Dharmadhvaja
chos kyi rgyal mtshan
ས་་ལ་མཚན།
dharmadhvaja AD
A buddha.
g.30 dhyāna
bsam gtan
བསམ་གཏན།
dhyāna
Dhyāna is defined as one-pointed abiding in an undistracted state of mind,
free from afflicted mental states. Four states of dhyāna are identified as being
conducive to birth within the form realm. In the context of the Mahāyāna, it
is the fifth of the six perfections. It is commonly translated as
“concentration,” “meditative concentration,” and so on.
g.31 eon
bskal pa
བལ་པ།
kalpa
A cosmic period of time, sometimes equivalent to the time when a world
system appears, exists, and disappears. According to the traditional
Abhidharma understanding of cyclical time, a great eon (mahākalpa) is
divided into eighty lesser eons. In the course of one great eon, the universe
takes form and later disappears. During the first twenty of the lesser eons,
the universe is in the process of creation and expansion; during the next
twenty it remains; during the third twenty, it is in the process of destruction;
and during the last quarter of the cycle, it remains in a state of empty stasis.
A fortunate, or good, eon (bhadrakalpa) refers to any eon in which more than
one buddha appears.
g.32 Exalted Light Rays

’od zer mtho
ད་ར་མ།
—
A buddha.
g.33 four confidences

mi ’jigs pa bzhi
་འགས་པ་བ།
caturvaiśāradya AD
This refers to the four confidences or fearlessnesses (as translated into
Tibetan) of a buddha: full confidence that (1) they are fully awakened; (2)
they have removed all defilements; (3) they have taught about the obstacles
to liberation; and (4) they have shown the path to liberation.
g.34 four discernments

so so yang dag par rig pa bzhi
་་ཡང་དག་པར་ག་པ་བ།
catuḥpratisaṃvid
The discernments of meaning, phenomena, language, and eloquence.
g.35 gandharva
dri za
་ཟ།
gandharva
A class of generally benevolent nonhuman beings who inhabit the skies,
sometimes said to inhabit fantastic cities in the clouds, and more specifically
to dwell on the eastern slopes of Mount Meru, where they are ruled by the
Great King Dhṛtarāṣṭra. They are most renowned as celestial musicians who
serve the gods. In the Abhidharma, the term is also used to refer to the
mental body assumed by sentient beings during the intermediate state
between death and rebirth. Gandharvas are said to live on fragrances
(gandha) in the desire realm, hence the Tibetan translation dri za, meaning
“scent eater.”
g.36 Gaṅgadevī
gang gA’i lha mo
གང་་་།
gaṅgadevī
A female disciple of the Tathāgata Great Mass of Light who became a
cakravartin king eighty-four thousand times and eventually the Tathāgata
Ratnārci.
g.37 higher cognitions

mngon par shes pa
མན་པར་ས་པ།
abhijñā
The higher cognitions are listed as either five or six. The first five are 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 concentration (Skt. dhyāna), and are sometimes described as
worldly, as they can be attained to some extent by non-Buddhist yogis, while
the sixth is supramundane and attained only by realization.
g.38 Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park

rgyal bu rgyal byed kyi tshal mgon med zas sbyin gyi kun dga’ ra ba
ལ་་ལ་ད་་ཚལ་མན་ད་ཟས་ན་ི་ན་དགའ་ར་བ།
jetavanam anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ AO
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.
In this text:
See also “Anāthapiṇḍada.”
g.39 Jinamitra
dzi na mi tra
་ན་་།
jinamitra
Jinamitra was invited to Tibet during the reign of King Trisong Detsen (khri
srong lde btsan, r. 742–98 ᴄᴇ) and was involved with the translation of nearly
two hundred texts, continuing into the reign of King Ralpachen (ral pa can, r.
815–38 ᴄᴇ). He was one of the small group of paṇḍitas responsible for the
Mahāvyutpatti Sanskrit–Tibetan dictionary.
g.40 Kauśika
kau shi ka
་་ཀ
kauśika
“One who belongs to the Kuśika lineage.” An epithet of the god Śakra, also
known as Indra, the king of the gods in the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. In the
Ṛgveda, Indra is addressed by the epithet Kauśika, with the implication that
he is associated with the descendants of the Kuśika lineage (gotra) as their
aiding deity. In later epic and Purāṇic texts, we find the story that Indra took
birth as Gādhi Kauśika, the son of Kuśika and one of the Vedic poet-seers,
after the Puru king Kuśika had performed austerities for one thousand years
to obtain a son equal to Indra who could not be killed by others. In the Pāli
Kusajātaka (Jāt V 141–45), the Buddha, in one of his former bodhisattva lives
as a Trāyastriṃśa god, takes birth as the future king Kusa upon the request
of Indra, who wishes to help the childless king of the Mallas, Okkaka, and
his chief queen Sīlavatī. This story is also referred to by Nāgasena in the
Milindapañha.
g.41 King of Illumination

snang ba’i rgyal po
ང་བ་ལ་།
—
A buddha.
g.42 kṣatriya
rgyal rigs
ལ་གས།
kṣatriya
The ruling caste in the traditional four-caste hierarchy of India, associated
with warriors, the aristocracy, and kings.
g.43 Mahābrahmā
tshangs chen
ཚངས་ན།
mahābrahmā
“Great Brahmā.” The highest of the three (or, in this sūtra, four) paradises
that correspond to the first dhyāna in the form realm.
g.44 Mahāraśmiskandha
’od zer gyi phung po chen po
ད་ར་ི་ང་་ན་།
mahāraśmiskandha
A buddha in the distant past.
g.45 mahāsattva
sems dpa’ chen po
མས་དཔའ་ན་།
mahāsattva
The term can be understood to mean “great courageous one” or "great
hero,” or (from the Sanskrit) simply “great being,” and is almost always
found as an epithet of “bodhisattva.” The qualification “great” in this term,
according to the majority of canonical definitions, focuses on the generic
greatness common to all bodhisattvas, i.e., the greatness implicit in the
bodhisattva vow itself in terms of outlook, aspiration, number of beings to be
benefited, potential or eventual accomplishments, and so forth. In this sense
the mahā- (“great”) is close in its connotations to the mahā- in “Mahāyāna.”
While individual bodhisattvas described as mahāsattva may in many cases
also be “great” in terms of their level of realization, this is largely
coincidental, and in the canonical texts the epithet is not restricted to
bodhisattvas at any particular point in their career. Indeed, in a few cases
even bodhisattvas whose path has taken a wrong direction are still
described as bodhisattva mahāsattva.
Later commentarial writings do nevertheless define the term—variably—in

terms of bodhisattvas having attained a particular level (bhūmi) or realization.
The most common qualifying criteria mentioned are attaining the path of
seeing, attaining irreversibility (according to its various definitions), or
attaining the seventh bhūmi.
g.46 Mahāyāna
theg pa chen po
ག་པ་ན་།
mahāyāna
When the Buddhist teachings are classified according to their power to lead
beings to an awakened state, a distinction is made between the teachings of
the Lesser Vehicle (Hīnayāna), which emphasizes the individual’s own
freedom from cyclic existence as the primary motivation and goal, and those
of the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna), which emphasizes altruism and has the
liberation of all sentient beings as the principal objective. As the term “Great
Vehicle” implies, the path followed by bodhisattvas is analogous to a large
carriage that can transport a vast number of people to liberation, as
compared to a smaller vehicle for the individual practitioner.
g.47 Net of Light

’od dra ba can
ད་་བ་ཅན།
—
A buddha.
g.48 Nirmāṇarati
’phrul dga’
འལ་དགའ།
nirmāṇarati
“Delight in Emanations.” The second highest paradise in the desire realm.
g.49 non-returner
phyir mi ’ong ba
ར་་ང་བ།
anāgāmin
The third of the four attainments of śrāvakas, this term refers to a person
who will no longer take rebirth in the desire realm (kāmadhātu), but either be
reborn in the Pure Abodes (śuddhāvāsa) or reach the state of an arhat in their
current lifetime. (Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)
g.50 once-returner
lan cig phyir ’ong ba
ལན་ག་ར་ང་བ།
sakṛdāgāmin
One who has achieved the second of the four levels of attainment on the
śrāvaka path and who will attain liberation after only one more birth.
(Provisional 84000 definition. New definition forthcoming.)
g.51 Paranirmitavaśavartin
gzhan ’phrul dbang byed
གཞན་འལ་དབང་ད།
paranirmitavaśavartin
“Power Over the Emanations of Others.” The highest paradise in the desire
realm.
g.52 Parīttābha
’od chung
ད་ང་།
parīttābha
“Lesser Light.” The lowest of the three paradises that correspond to the
second dhyāna in the form realm. The lowest paradise that is never
destroyed at the end of a kalpa, but continues through all kalpas. In other
texts, translated as snang ba chung ngu.
g.53 Parīttaśubha
dge chung
ད་ང་།
parīttaśubha
“Lesser Goodness.” The lowest of the three paradises that correspond to the
third dhyāna in the form realm.
g.54 perfection
pha rol tu phyin pa
ཕ་ལ་་ན་པ།
pāramitā
This term is used to refer to the main trainings of a bodhisattva. Because
these trainings, when brought to perfection, lead one to transcend saṃsāra
and reach the full awakening of a buddha, they receive the Sanskrit
name pāramitā, meaning “perfection” or “gone to the farther shore.” They are
usually listed as six: generosity, correct conduct (or discipline), patience,
diligence, meditation (or concentration), and wisdom; four additional
perfections are often added to this, totalling ten perfections: skillful methods,
prayer, strength, and knowledge.
g.55 powers
dbang po
དབང་།
indriya
Faith, mindfulness, diligence, samādhi, and wisdom.
g.56 Prabhājvala
’od ’bar
ད་འབར།
prabhājvala AD
A buddha.
g.57 Pratyekabuddhayāna
rang sangs rgyas kyi theg pa
རང་སངས་ས་་ག་པ།
pratyekabuddhayāna
The vehicle comprising the teaching of the pratyekabuddhas.
g.58 Puṇyaprabha
bsod nams ’od
བད་ནམས་ད།
puṇyaprabha AD
A buddha. In Toh 555, his name is given as “Radiance of Excellent Qualities”
(yon tan legs pa’i ’od).
g.59 Puṇyaprasava
bsod nams skyes
བད་ནམས་ས།
puṇyaprasava
“Generating Merit.” In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, the second highest of the
three paradises that correspond to the fourth dhyāna in the form realm.
Translated in other texts as bsod nams ’phel ba, “Increasing Merit.”
g.60 Ratnaketu
rin chen tog
ན་ན་ག
ratnaketu
A buddha.
g.61 Ratnārci
rin chen ’od ’phro
ན་ན་ད་འ།
ratnārci AD
A buddha.
g.62 Sahā
mi mjed
་མད།
sahā
Indian Buddhist name for either the four-continent world in which the
Buddha Śākyamuni appeared, or a universe of a thousand million such
worlds. The name Sahā possibly derives from the Sanskrit √sah, “to bear,
endure, or withstand.” It is often interpreted as alluding to the inhabitants of
this world having to endure suffering. The Tibetan translation, mi mjed,
follows along the same lines. It literally means “not unbearable,” in the sense
that beings here are able to bear the suffering they experience.
g.63 Śakra
brgya byin
བ་ན།
śakra
The lord of the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (trāyastriṃśa).
Alternatively known as Indra, the deity that is called “lord of the gods”
dwells on the summit of Mount Sumeru and wields the thunderbolt. The
Tibetan translation brgya byin (meaning “one hundred sacrifices”) is based
on an etymology that śakra is an abbreviation of śata-kratu, one who has
performed a hundred sacrifices. Each world with a central Sumeru has a
Śakra. Also known by other names such as Kauśika, Devendra, and Śacipati.
g.64 saṅgha
dge ’dun
ད་འན།
saṅgha
Though often specifically reserved for the monastic community, this term
can be applied to any of the four Buddhist communities —monks, nuns,
laymen, and laywomen—as well as to identify the different groups of
practitioners, like the community of bodhisattvas or the community of
śrāvakas. It is also the third of the Three Jewels (triratna) of Buddhism: the
Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community.
g.65 Śāriputra
shA ri’i bu
་་།
śāriputra
One of the principal śrāvaka disciples of the Buddha, he was renowned for
his discipline and for having been praised by the Buddha as foremost of the
wise (often paired with Maudgalyāyana, who was praised as foremost in the
capacity for miraculous powers). His father, Tiṣya, to honor Śāriputra’s
mother, Śārikā, named him Śāradvatīputra, or, in its contracted form,
Śāriputra, meaning “Śārikā’s Son.”
g.66 Śatakiraṇa
’od zer brgya pa
ད་ར་བ་པ།
śatakiraṇa AD
A buddha.
g.67 seven precious materials

rin po che sna bdun
ན་་་་བན།
saptaratna
In this sūtra, the seven precious materials are specified to be gold, silver,
pearls, beryl, crystal, white coral, and red pearls. When the same term is
associated with the seven heavenly bodies, and therefore the seven days of
the week, they are seven jewels: ruby for the sun, moonstone or pearl for the
moon, coral for Mars, emerald for Mercury, yellow sapphire for Jupiter,
diamond for Venus, and blue sapphire for Saturn. According to the
Abhidharma, in association with a cakravartin, the seven jewels can refer to
his magical wheel, elephant, horse, wish-fulfilling jewel, queen, minister,
and leading householder. In the Tibetan mandala offering practice, the
householder is replaced by a general.
g.68 Siṃha
seng ge
ང་
siṃha AD
A buddha. In Toh 555, his name is given as “Lion's Radiance” (seng ge’i ’od).
g.69 śrāvaka
nyan thos
ཉན་ས།
śrāvaka
The Sanskrit term śrāvaka, and the Tibetan nyan thos, both derived from the
verb “to hear,” are usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the
Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily this refers to those disciples of
the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat seeking their own
liberation and nirvāṇa. They are the practitioners of the first turning of the
wheel of the Dharma on the four noble truths, who realize the suffering
inherent in saṃsāra and focus on understanding that there is no
independent self. By conquering afflicted mental states (kleśa), they liberate
themselves, attaining first the stage of stream enterers at the path of seeing,
followed by the stage of once-returners who will be reborn only one more
time, and then the stage of non-returners who will no longer be reborn into
the desire realm. The final goal is to become an arhat. These four stages are
also known as the “four results of spiritual practice.”
g.70 Śrāvakayāna
nyan thos kyi theg pa
ཉན་ས་་ག་པ།
śrāvakayāna
The vehicle comprising the teaching of the śrāvakas.
g.71 Śrāvastī
mnyan yod
མཉན་ད།
śrāvastī
During the life of the Buddha, Śrāvastī was the capital city of the powerful
kingdom of Kośala, ruled by King Prasenajit, who became a follower and
patron of the Buddha. It was also the hometown of Anāthapiṇḍada, the
wealthy patron who first invited the Buddha there, and then offered him a
park known as Jetavana, Prince Jeta’s Grove, which became one of the first
Buddhist monasteries. The Buddha is said to have spent about twenty-five
rainy seasons with his disciples in Śrāvastī, thus it is named as the setting of
numerous events and teachings. It is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh in
northern India.
g.72 state
skye mched
་མད།
āyatana
This term has various meanings according to context. Here in this sūtra it is
used to refer to the four meditative states associated with the formless realm:
(1) infinite space, (2) infinite consciousness, (3) nothingness, and (4) neither
perception nor nonperception. In the context of epistemology, it is one way
of describing experience and the world in terms of twelve sense sources,
which can be divided into inner and outer sense sources, namely: (1–2) eye
and form, (3–4) ear and sound, (5–6) nose and odor, (7–8) tongue and taste,
(9–10) body and touch, (11–12) mind and mental phenomena. In the context
of the twelve links of dependent origination, only six sense sources are
mentioned, and they are the inner sense sources (identical to the six
faculties) of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind.
g.73 state of infinite consciousness

rnam shes mtha’ yas skye mched
མ་ས་མཐའ་ཡས་་མད།
vijñānānantyāyatana
The third highest of the four formless realms. See also “state.”
g.74 state of infinite space

nam mkha’ mtha’ yas skye mched
ནམ་མཁའ་མཐའ་ཡས་་མད།
ākāśānantyāyatana
The lowest of the four formless realms. See also “state.”
g.75 state of neither perception nor nonperception

’du shes med ’du shes med min skye mched
འ་ས་ད་འ་ས་ད་ན་་མད།
naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatana
The highest of the four formless realms. See also “state.”
g.76 state of nothingness

ci yang med pa’i skye mched
་ཡང་ད་པ་་མད།
ākiṃcanyāyatana
The second highest of the four formless realms. See also “state.”
g.77 stream entrant

rgyun du zhugs pa
ན་་གས་པ།
srotāpanna · srotaāpanna
The first of four stages of spiritual accomplishment on the śrāvaka path:
stream entrant, once-returner, non-returner, and arhat.
g.78 strengths
stobs
བས།
bala
The five strengths are a stronger form of the five powers: faith, mindfulness,
diligence, samādhi, and wisdom.
g.79 Śubhakṛtsna
dge rgyas
ད་ས།
śubhakṛtsna
“Vast Goodness.” The highest of the three paradises that correspond to the
third dhyāna in the form realm.
g.80 Sudarśana
shin tu mthong ba
ན་་མང་བ།
sudarśana
In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, this is the second highest of the Śuddhāvāsa
paradises, the highest paradises in the form realm. In this sūtra it is the
fourth highest.
g.81 Sudṛśa
gya nom snang ba
་མ་ང་བ།
sudṛśa
“Perfect Light.” In the Sarvāstivāda tradition, this is the third highest of the
five Śuddhāvāsa paradises, the highest paradises in the form realm. In this
sūtra it is the lowest of those five.
g.82 sugata
bde bar gshegs pa
བ་བར་གགས་པ།
sugata
One of the standard epithets of the buddhas. A recurrent explanation offers
three different meanings for su- that are meant to show the special qualities
of “accomplishment of one’s own purpose” (svārthasampad) for a complete
buddha. Thus, the Sugata is “well” gone, as in the expression su-rūpa
(“having a good form”); he is gone “in a way that he shall not come back,” as
in the expression su-naṣṭa-jvara (“a fever that has utterly gone”); and he has
gone “without any remainder” as in the expression su-pūrṇa-ghaṭa (“a pot
that is completely full”). According to Buddhaghoṣa, the term means that the
way the Buddha went (Skt. gata) is good (Skt. su) and where he went (Skt.
gata) is good (Skt. su).
g.83 Sumeru
ri rab
་རབ།
sumeru
According to ancient Buddhist cosmology, this is the great mountain
forming the axis of the universe. At its summit is Sudarśana, home of Śakra
and his thirty-two gods, and on its flanks live the asuras. The mount has four
sides facing the cardinal directions, each of which is made of a different
precious stone. Surrounding it are several mountain ranges and the great
ocean where the four principal island continents lie: in the south,
Jambudvīpa (our world); in the west, Godānīya; in the north, Uttarakuru; and
in the east, Pūrvavideha. Above it are the abodes of the desire realm gods. It
is variously referred to as Meru, Mount Meru, Sumeru, and Mount Sumeru.
g.84 ten strengths

stobs bcu
བས་བ།
daśabala
The ten strengths are (1) the knowledge of what is possible; (2) the
knowledge of the ripening of karma; (3) the knowledge of the variety of
aspirations; (4) the knowledge of the variety of natures; (5) the knowledge of
the different levels of capabilities; (6) the knowledge of the destinations of all
paths; (7) the knowledge of various states of meditation; (8) the knowledge
of remembering previous lives; (9) the knowledge of deaths and rebirths;
and (10) the knowledge of the cessation of outflows.
g.85 three knowledges

rig pa gsum
ག་པ་གམ།
traividya
Knowledge through divine sight (lha’i mig gi shes pa), knowledge through
remembering past lives (sngon gyi gnas rjes su dran pa’i rig pa), and the
knowledge that defilements have ceased (zag pa zad pa’i rig pa).
g.86 Trāyastriṃśa
sum cu rtsa gsum pa
མ་་་གམ་པ།
trāyastriṃśa
The paradise of Śakra, also known as Indra, on the summit of Sumeru. The
name means “Thirty-Three,” from the thirty-three principal deities that dwell
there. The fifth highest of the six paradises in the desire realm.
g.87 trichiliocosm
stong gsum · stong gsum gyi stong chen po’i ’jig rten gyi khams
ང་གམ། · ང་གམ་ི་ང་ན་ ་འག་ན་ི་ཁམས།

trisāhasramahāsāhasralokadhātu
g.88 Tuṣita
dga’ ldan
དགའ་ན།
tuṣita
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).
g.89 unique qualities of a buddha

sangs rgyas kyi chos ma ’dres pa
སངས་ས་་ས་མ་འས་པ།
āveṇikabuddhadharma
There are eighteen such qualities unique to a buddha, which consist of the
ten strengths, four fearlessnesses, three mindfulnesses, and great
compassion.
g.90 upādhyāya
mkhan po
མཁན་།
upādhyāya
In India, a person’s particular preceptor within the monastic tradition,
guiding that person for the taking of full vows and the maintenance of
conduct and practice. The Tibetan translation mkhan po has also come to
mean “a learned scholar,” the equivalent of a paṇḍita, but that is not the
intended meaning in the sūtras.
g.91 Varāṅga
yan lag mchog
ཡན་ལག་མག
varāṅga AD
A buddha.
g.92 Varaprabha
’od mchog
ད་མག
varaprabha AS
A buddha.
g.93 Venerable
tshe dang ldan pa
་དང་ན་པ།
āyuṣmat
A respectful form of address between monks, and also between lay
companions of equal standing. It literally means “one who has a [long] life.”
g.94 Vibhūṣita
shin du brgyan
ན་་བན།
vibhūṣita AD
A buddha.
g.95 Virtue of Light

’od dge
ད་ད
—
A buddha. In Toh 555, his name is given as “Sublime Light” (dam pa’i ’od).
g.96 Vulture Peak

bya rgod kyi phung po
་ད་་ང་།
gṛdhrakūṭa
The Gṛdhrakūṭa, literally Vulture Peak, was a hill located in the kingdom of
Magadha, in the vicinity of the ancient city of Rājagṛha (modern-day Rajgir,
in the state of Bihar, India), where the Buddha bestowed many sūtras,
especially the Great Vehicle teachings, such as the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras. It
continues to be a sacred pilgrimage site for Buddhists to this day.
g.97 Yāma
’thab bral
འཐབ་ལ།
yāma
The third highest of the six paradises in the desire realm. Its name means
“Free of Conflict.”
g.98 Yeshé Dé
ye shes sde
་ས་།
—
Yeshé Dé (late eighth to early ninth century) was the most prolific translator
of sūtras into Tibetan. Altogether he is credited with the translation of more
than one hundred sixty sūtra translations and more than one hundred
additional translations, mostly on tantric topics. In spite of Yeshé Dé’s great
importance for the propagation of Buddhism in Tibet during the imperial era,
only a few biographical details about this figure are known. Later sources
describe him as a student of the Indian teacher Padmasambhava, and he is
also credited with teaching both sūtra and tantra widely to students of his
own. He was also known as Nanam Yeshé Dé, from the Nanam (sna nam)
clan.
g.99 yojana
dpag tshad
དཔག་ཚད།
yojana
The longest unit of distance in classical India. The lack of a uniform standard
for the smaller units means that there is no precise equivalent, especially as
its theoretical length tended to increase over time. Therefore, it can indicate a
distance of between four and ten miles.

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༄༅། །ལས་་བ་པ་ན་གད་པ།

Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations”

ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛɪʙᴇᴛᴀɴ ʙʏ

Current version v 1.0.5 (2024)

Generated by 84000 Reading Room v2.26.1

· History of the Sūtra ·

1.1 Homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

n.4 The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (3)

n.5 The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (2)

n.6 The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (1)

n.7 Purification of Karmic Obscurations (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh218.html)

n.8 Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh216.html)

n.9 The Śrīgupta Sūtra (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh217.html) (Śrīguptasūtra,

n.14 This paradise occurs only in the Vibhajyavāda cosmology. The

n.23 Toh 555 has Amitāyus (tshe dpag tu med pa).

n.24 seng ge. Toh 555 has seng ge’i ’od.

n.27 Literally “a hundred thousand ten-millions.”

Jin guangming zuisheng wang jin ⾦光明最勝王經. Taishō 665 (CBETA

Anonymous. rgyal po gser gyi lag pa’i smon lam (Rājasuvarṇabhujapraṇidhāna).

Āryadeva. spyod pa bsdud pa’i sgron ma (Caryāmelāpakapradīpa). Toh 1803, Degé

Bhavya. dbu ma rin po che’i sgron ma (Madhyamakaratnapradīpa). Toh 3854, Degé

— — —. mngon par rtogs pa rnam par ’byed pa zhes bya ba (Abhisamayavibhaṅga-

Vairocanarakṣita. bslab pa me tog snye ma (Śikṣākusumamañjarī). Toh 3943, Degé

· Other References in Tibetan ·

· Other References in English and Other Languages ·

Bagchi, S., ed. Suvarṇaprabhāsasūtram. Darbhanga: The Mithila Institute, 1967.

Banerjee, Radha. Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra. London: British Library, 2006.

Lewis, Todd T. “Contributions to the Study of Popular Buddhism: The Newar

Nanjio Bunyiu, Idzumi Hokei. The Suvarṇaprabhāsa Sūtra: A Mahāyāna Text

Nobel, Johannes (1937). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein

— — — (1944). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit text des

— — — (1944, 1950). Suvarṇabhāsottamasūtra. Das Goldglanz-Sūtra: ein Sanskrit

— — — (2016). “Tibetan Evidence for the Sources of Chapters of the Synoptic

Tyomkin, E. N. “Unique Sanskrit Fragments of ‘The Sūtra of Golden Light’ in

— — —. Purification of Karmic Obscurations

— — —. The Śrīgupta Sūtra (https://read.84000.co/translation/toh217.html)

— — —. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (1)

— — —. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (2)

— — —. The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (3)

Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). Sutra of

Nobel, Johannes. Suvarṇaprabhāsottamasūtra, Das Goldglanz-Sutra, ein

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

AS Attested in source text

AO Attested in other text

RP Reconstruction from Tibetan phonetic rendering

RS Reconstruction from Tibetan semantic rendering

Amitābha, “Infinite Light,” is also known in many Indian Buddhist works as

In the Tibetan tradition, which follows the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monk

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

g.32 Exalted Light Rays

g.33 four confidences

g.34 four discernments

g.37 higher cognitions

g.38 Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park

g.41 King of Illumination

Later commentarial writings do nevertheless define the term—variably—in

g.47 Net of Light

g.67 seven precious materials

g.73 state of infinite consciousness