mahā-maṅgala-sūtra
The Sutra of the Great Good
With faith I praise the Three Noble Jewels!
So I heard once.
The Blessed one was residing in the garden of Anathapindada in the Jethavana grove of Shravasti.
Then, when a multitude of gods gathered by night by means of multicolored light, the Jethavana Garden was illuminated with light. Then they came to the Blessed One who was there. When they approached, they praised and worshipped the Blessed One and stood before him. Standing in front of him, these gods questioned the Blessed One many times with the following verses:
Many gods and people ponder [what it means] to be happy. But there are doubts about happiness and goodness. Please say about the supreme happiness!
Responded [the Blessed One] to what the gods said:
Destruction of all detrimental things and the essence of good for the whole universe - such goodness I will explain for you!
Not to communicate with childish [fools], to be satisfied with [communication with] the wise, to act with those who are worthy of receiving offerings [gifts] - this is the highest good.
To abide in a suitable place by virtue of merit from past deeds and to perform oneself the highest prayers-wishes - this is the highest good.
To learn nobly, combining discipline and crafts and the true, [uttering] words that clarify all things nobly is the highest good.
To serve with reverence the father and the mother, to support children and the wife, and not to perform unacceptable acts is the highest good.
Generosity-giving, behaving in accordance with the Teaching, helping one's loved ones, not carrying out wrong deeds - is the highest good.
Refusing to take pleasure in pernicious [acts], refusing to drink wine, being righteous everywhere in [carrying out] the Teaching is the highest good.
To act with momentary [appearing] faith in the teacher, to act with faith and understanding in acts, and to listen to the Teaching in due time - this is the highest good.
Not to be zealous in lowly words, to look upon [people] with pure virtue, to discuss the Teaching in a timely manner - this is the highest good.
Ascesis and pure conduct [of the brahmacharya], seeing the truth of the Noble, and the manifest attainment of nirvana are the highest good.
If in the world one asks about the Teaching, if one's mind does not waver in any way, if one acts without sorrow or lack of joy, this is the highest good.
He who acts in accordance with the explanation is victorious in everything, follows in everything to pacification. This is the highest good for them.
The Blessed One said so, and the gods praised what the Blessed One said.
This is how the sutra of the great good ends.
In the presence of the great sage Anandashri, the interpreter that heard much, bhikshu Shakya Nyima Gyaltshen Palzangpo translated and corrected what was said in two languages at the great temple of Paltharpa Ling.
May the Sun and the Moon be over the earth!
Translated by lama Karma Paljor (O. Filippov).
candra-sūtra
Sutra of the Chandra
With faith I praise the Three Noble Jewels!
Thus I heard once.
The Blessed one was residing in the garden of Anathapindada in the Jethavana grove of Shravasti. Then, at that time, Chandra, son of the god, was seized by Rahula, lord of the asuras. After that, Chandra, son of the god, remembered the Blessed One and pleaded with the following verses:
I bow before the Enlightened One, the hero!
[You are] quick to deliver all!
So I come to you for protection,
because I have fallen into the jaws!
Then the Blessed One, for the sake of Chandra, son of the god, said the following verses to Rahula, lord of the asuras:
Since the Enlightened One loves the universe,
Chandra has come under the protection of the arhat, the Tathagata!
Therefore let Chandra go, Rahula!
Then Rahula, lord of the asuras, released Chandra, son of the god. When he did so, and everything was as before, the Asur lord Bimlachihra came up to him. When he approached, his mind was not happy, and his hair was up in sorrow. He stood before him.
And standing before him, said the following verses Lord of the asuras Bimlachihra to Rahula, lord of the asuras:
Why are you afraid?
You, Rahula, hast let go of Chandra, whose
The sight of his body is bad everywhere!
Why, being afraid, hast thou come to that?
Rahula said:
If having heard the verses of the Enlightened One,
I did not let go of the Chandra,
my head would be in seven pieces,
there would be no happiness in life!
This is how the Sutra of Chandra concludes.
In the presence of the great sage Anandashri, a translator who has heard many things, bhikshu Shakya Nyima Gyaltshen Palzangpo translated and corrected what was said in two languages at the great temple of Paltharpa Ling.
May the Sun and the Moon be above the earth accordingly.
Translated by lama Karma Paljor (O. Filippov).
sūrya-sūtra
Sutra of Surya
With faith I praise the Three Noble Jewels!
So I heard once.
The Blessed one was in the garden of Anathapindada in the Jethavana grove of Shravasti. At that time Surya, son of the god, was seized by Rahula, lord of the asuras. Then Surya, son of the god, remembered the Blessed One and pleaded with the following verses:
I bow before the Enlightened One, the hero!
[You] quickly deliver all!
So I come to you for protection,
for I have fallen into the jaws!
Then the Blessed One, for the sake of Surya, son of the god, said the following verses to Rahula, lord of the asuras:
Since the Enlightened One loves the universe,
Surya has come under the protection of the arhat, the Tathagata!
Therefore let Surya go, Rahula!
The light of Surya will dispel the darkness!
[His] perfect radiance possesses a circle of mighty splendor!
Do not conceal, Rahula, Surya of heaven!
Rahule, release this Surya!
Then Rahula, the lord of the asuras, released Surya, the son of the god. When he did so, and everything was as before, the asura lord Bimlachihra came to him. As he approached, his mind became unhappy and his hair stood up in sorrow. He stood before him.
And standing before him, said the following verses Lord of the asuras Bimlachihra to Rahula, lord of the asuras:
Why are you afraid?
You, Rahule, hast let go of Surya, whose
The sight of his body is bad everywhere!
Why, being afraid, didst thou come to that?
Rahula said:
If having heard the verses of the Enlightened One,
I did not let go of the Surya,
my head would be in seven pieces,
there would be no happiness in life!
Thus concludes the sutra of the Surya.
In the presence of the great sage Anandashri, the translator who has heard much, bhikshu Shakya Nyima Gyaltshen Palzangpo translated and corrected what was said in two languages at the great temple of Paltharpa Ling.
May the Sun and the Moon be above the earth accordingly.
Translated by lama Karma Paljor (O. Filippov).
maitrī-bhāvana-sūtra
The Sutra of Cultivating Love
With faith I praise the Three Noble Jewels!
Thus I heard once.
The Blessed One was in the garden of Anathapindada in the Jethavana Grove in Shravasti.
Then the Blessed One called out, saying:
Bhikshus!
The bhikshus came up, having been invited by the Blessed One. The Blessed One said:
To realize complete liberation of the mind, cultivate love. Make it steady, carry it out [it] repeatedly, manifest appeasement, form it as a foundation, abide in it in the following [time], act through it, act as especially noble.
I explain separately the eleven kinds of goodness and benefit. What are the eleven? There will be good sleep, there will be happy awakening, you will not see harmful dreams, you will be glad-pleasant to people, glad-pleasant to nonpeople, you will be guarded by the gods, there will be no harm from fire, poisons and weapons. The mind will constantly abide in peculiar joy. The corresponding radiance [of mind] will be especially clear, will die with a clear mind. As he manifests moral conduct in the most expansive way, he will be born in the world of Brahma.
Bhikshus! Do not deviate from the loving mind! Be steadfast through intention!
Carry out nurturing, repeatedly carry out, manifest appeasement, form as a foundation, abide in it afterwards, act by asking, be especially diligent. Adhere to the individual explanations of goodness and benefit in the eleven points.
Bhikshus! Explain individually the good and the benefit to others. If you don't discard love in every way, you won't need to take food and drink, you will abide in your own country, the support [of life] will be numerous, if you don't discard love in every way.
If you do not discard love in every way, you will walk in small villages, cities, royal palaces, everywhere will give gifts.
If you do not reject love in every way, then there will be no thieves and robbers, there will be no harm from the ruler, all living beings will be friendly.
If you do not discard love in every way, then without anger and discontent will abide in most [places] of your own country, you will abide without scandal in the society of [great] beings, you will have the benevolence of the highest.
If you do not discard love in every way, you will receive offerings as [worthy of] offerings, you will receive veneration as [worthy of] veneration, you will gain friends and relatives.
If you do not discard love in every way, you will gain reverence, if you are revered, faith will arise, if you believe, [the countenance] will possess a splendid color.
The [corporeal form] shall become like the body of the gods that blaze like fire. Thou shalt not be free from glory, thou shalt have many [flocks of cattle], thou shalt be born in a land of many fruits, there shall be many sons and daughters. Thou shalt reach a level where thou shalt not fall from the mountain, thou shalt not fall from the tree, thou shalt not fall [and on the earth]. Just as the wind cannot shake a nurtured phat tree, enemies cannot do anything.
The Blessed one said so. The Blessed one said so to the bhikshus. The bhikshus praised what the Blessed One said. This concludes the sutra of nurturing love.
In the presence of the great sage Anandashri, a translator who has heard many things, bhikshu Shakya Nyima Gyaltshen Palzangpo translated and corrected what was said in two languages at the great temple of Paltharpa Ling.
May the Sun and the Moon be above the earth accordingly.
Translated by lama Karma Paljor (O. Filippov).