Library - Kangyur - Prajna-paramita
ārya-prajñā-pāramitā-sañcaya-gāthā
The Noble [sutra]. The Perfection of Wisdom - A Compendium in Verse
Prostrate myself before all buddhas and bodhisattvas!
Then Bhagavan taught this Prajnaparamita to the four kinds of his entourage, that they might rejoice.
That time the teaching was given in verse (gatha).
It was received with supreme rejoicing, reverence and faith.
Removing veils and kleshas, surpassing [all] the impure,
The noble Prajnaparamita revealed for the benefit of beings
[Like] a ferryman in all the deeds of the ascetics.
All the rivers flowing in this Jambudvipa,
Giving birth to flowers, fruit trees, medicinal herbs and forests,
The mighty serpent, the Lord of the Nagas, dwelling in the lake of Manasarovar.
This is the power and glory of the Lord of the Nagas.
Shravakas teach the dharma of the victorious one,
Explaining what is available for explanation.
In good deeds that bestow supreme bliss, one finds fruit -
This is the strength of the followers of the tathagata.
Why teach the dharma of the victorious one?
The highest of men, becoming a disciple, manifested learning,
Realized [its fruit] and became an example of teaching,
Having done so by the power of enlightenment, and not by his own efforts.
The supreme Prajnaparamita is incomprehensible to the mind,
Bodhisattva and bodhichitta are beyond thought.
Hearing this and not falling into delusion or fear,
The bodhisattva practices prajna sugat.
There is no form, no feeling, no thinking,
And thus consciousness has no real existence.
Not fixated on phenomena devoid of location,
The incomprehensible bodhi sugat is attained.
Realizing [the endless] succession of comings and goings,
[When] disappearing and appearing unreality of skandhas.
So perceives the phenomena of the bodhisattva,
Unaffected by suffering and abiding in prajna.
Who then possesses this prajna?
Wherever phenomena come from, there is an understanding of their emptiness,
And in this comprehension, cowardice and fear disappear.
Such a bodhisattva is close to enlightenment.
If he loses his vigilance, then [in the usual way] he perceives
Skandhas of form, discernment, sensation, thought and consciousness.
And when he realizes the emptiness of the skandhas, then he is a bodhisattva,
And [even] engaging in the signs, is not bound to the state of non-activity.
There is no form, no sensation, no discernment, no thinking, no consciousness,
In behavior without fixation there is no involvement in any of these things.
Such behavior is taught by the forbidden concept of prajña.
In his thoughtlessness, communing with the supreme peace of samadhi,
The bodhisattva abides in the tranquility of the self (ātma-śānta) -
This is the teaching of the Sugat of the past.
[About] the self, free from pride in the equality of rest and manifestation.
Why cognize the nature of things?
To do so is to follow the prajna sugat.
For the sake of knowing this behavior of non-doing
Not to become involved in phenomena and not to perceive them as real -
This is the behavior of the supreme Prajnyaparamita.
Nothing possesses real existence, that is, everything is unreal.
Fools understand this to mean that there is no existence in principle.
The Dharma [teaches] about the non-duality of existence and non-existence.
Bodhisattvas, through this knowledge, advance [on the path].
They perceive all five totality as similar to illusion,
Making no distinction between illusion and aggregates.
Liberation from all mental perceptions and peace [of mind] -
Such is the conduct of the supreme Prajnyaparamita.
He who has a virtuous friend acquires the penetrating vision [vipashyana],
And he who listens to the Mother of the victorious is never fearful,
He pays no heed to the wickedness of others.
[For] it is like the soma that is offered, which when it touches water, [dissolves] without trace in it.
What is the purpose of the bodhisattva's acts?
In wishing to put an end to every act of attachment,
In nonattachment [he] partakes of the enlightenment (bodhi) of the victorious,
Thereby acquiring the title of bodhisattva.
Why is he called a mahasattva?
Becoming supreme in the many assemblies of beings,
In the worlds of beings [he] restricts the five false worldly views.
Therefore he is called mahasattva.
[Possessing] great renunciation, great intelligence and great strength,
Following the path of the supreme Great Chariot of the Victorious,
Putting on his armor, he subdues the illusion of Mara -
Therefore he is called a mahasattva.
For example, one versed in magic manifests the radiations of the four [kinds],
Cutting off the heads of many millions of beings.
But the bodhisattva [understands] the essence of these murders
And knowing the semblance of the manifestations of all beings, he is not afraid.
Form, discernment, feeling, thinking,
Consciousness are beyond conditioning and liberation and do not really exist.
So one who has entered bodhi is free from cowardice.
This is the best armor against all [division into] pure and impure.
What is the purpose of this bodhisattvayana?
By ascending it, beings go beyond suffering.
This chariot is an immense palace like the sky,
The highest of all chariots, the giver of happiness, pleasure and bliss.
He who ascends it is incomprehensible to [ordinary] beings,
The beings speak of him as transcending suffering, but it is beyond their comprehension.
For example, as if a dead man without any reason began to walk,
He [in the same way] would be said to have gone beyond suffering.
So the bodhisattvas from the beginning to the end of time
Are born in the three times, incomprehensibly pure.
All of them are unconditioned and unsophisticated
And follows this supreme Prajnaparamita.
Being in the experience of bodhichitta,
They act by contemplating the unborn
And engendering great non-conceptual compassion for beings -
Such is the behavior of this supreme Prajnaparamita.
When beings give rise to ideas of apparent suffering,
For the good of beings they contemplate freedom from suffering.
Bodhisattvas possess the comprehension [inseparability] of self and beings.
Such is the conduct of this supreme Prajnaparamita.
[Knowing] what the self is, thereby know all beings.
[Knowing] who beings are, thereby know all phenomena
And leave the notions of the born and the unborn.
Such is the conduct of this supreme Prajnaparamita.
They give a clear explanation of phenomena and names in all worlds,
In all births, transcending [suffering] and renouncing,
They comprehend the sacred indestructible original wisdom - there is no other purpose here.
This is what this Prajnaparamita serves.
In the conduct of the bodhisattva, putting aside doubt,
One should wisely perceive all things equally.
In comprehending the absence of the intrinsic nature of phenomena
The supreme conduct of this Prajnaparamita consists.
Without fixation on any form or feeling,
Distinction or thinking,
Not abiding in ordinary consciousness [is] abiding in dharmata -
Such is the supreme conduct of this Prajnaparamita.
Eternal and impermanent, happiness and pain, beautiful and ugly,
Atman and anatman, takaya and its emptiness,
Fruitfulness and not being on the stage of arhat,
Pratyekabuddha or buddha-tathagata,
As the Buddha does not abide in the worlds of the non-composed,
So in the conduct of non-existence, not becoming involved in the composite,
The bodhisattva's abiding is not confined to any place.
To abide beyond the limitations of place is the teaching of the Triumphant One about place.
Every shravaka aspires to become a sugata,
So does the pratyekabuddha aspire to become a dharmaraja.
But without relying on the [paramita] of patience, this cannot be achieved,
Just as he who wanders back and forth on the sea sees no shore.
[Shravaka] should listen and study the teachings of the dharma,
So the pratyekabuddha attains the fruit of [becoming] the protector of the world.
He who has comprehended wisdom manifests it and transcends suffering,
[For] they are all like illusion - so taught the tathagata.
Not fearing the four kinds of uncleanness,
The sons of the triumphant ones, versed in the truth, do not forsake wisdom.
Removing the filth of arhatship and casting aside doubts,
Holding to the fourth [degree] of kalyanamitra.
This is what an experienced bodhisattva does,
Not striving for the realization of arhat or pratyekabuddha.
For the sake of attaining omniscience, he studies the buddha-dharma,
And in all that he teaches or does not teach, he learns unlearning.
Don't get involved in feeling and perceiving an abundance of forms,
Not to learn to become involved in phenomena.
[This he] learns and attains omniscience,
This is all renunciation, knowledge of qualities and bliss.
Form is not prajna; there is no prajna in form.
Consciousness, discernment, sensation, thinking -
All these are not prajña, there is no prajña in them.
[Prajña] is comparable to the element of space in which there is no separation.
The nature of concepts has no limits,
The nature of all beings has no limits.
The nature of the element of space is also limitless,
So also the prajña, which knows the world, is limitless.
Concepts are on this side [of reality] - so the Buddha declares.
Renunciation as a result of the analysis of concepts leads to the other shore.
Liberation from concepts is the yoga of postmeditation.
To go beyond them is to be in accord with the Guru's words.
If the Guru were to proclaim these words to beings,
As many kalpas as there are grains of sand in the Ganges,
In virtue of the purity of their patience which of them [now] would be born?
Such is the supreme conduct of Prajnyaparamita.
"Always, when I teach according to this supreme Prajnaparamita,
By the power of the higher beings of the past.
[He who listens] will become a Buddha in the future,
Thus will I bequeath," the victorious one said.
The conduct of the Prajnaparamita is protective.
If one has revered it and studied it,
He will not be touched by poison, famine, fire or water,
And Mara and his entourage will be powerless.
One of the Sugats, who went beyond suffering,
He brought seven precious substances to the stupa,
And the stupa was filled with these [offerings],
Countless as grains of sand in the Ganges.
Imagining innumerable objects [offerings],
All living beings,
Just making offerings of the remnants
By applying flower oil for three kalpas,
Would acquire the ten powers of all buddhas.
In this book of the Mother Sugata it is written:
"Taking the flower [oil], respectfully applying it
And offering it to the stupa, one receives unparalleled merit."
This Prajnyaparamita of the Victorious is the great vidyamantra,
the Dharma that pacifies the misery and suffering of the beings of myriad worlds,
All superior and protective of the universe in the ten directions -
By learning this vidyamantra, you will become the supreme king of healers.
By rendering all kinds of help and compassion,
By mastering this vidyamantra, thou shalt attain bodhi.
Conditional happiness or unconditioned happiness,
All this arises from it - so it should be understood.
The seed that is sown remains in the ground and then germinates,
And when conditions come together, [from it] various forms arise.
All the qualities of enlightenment are contained in the five paramitas,
And they are all born of the paramitas of prajna.
The Chakravartin walks confidently on his path everywhere,
And with him on the way are the seven precious substances and all kinds of troops.
Wherever the Prajnyaparamita of the victorious one marches,
The beings acquire the qualities of suchness of all phenomena.
[4. The singing of the qualities.]
Indra asked the Victorious One:
"Even if all the buddha-kshetra, the number equal to grains of sand in the Ganges,
[I] shall fill with the victorious sharirs without a trace,
Having studied this Prajnaparamita,
Why will not my remains be honored?
For I, imbued with prajna, have made [these] offerings!"
For example, just as a person who honors a king gains respect for himself,
Buddha-sharirs have their foundation in Prajnaparamita.
A gem [wish-fulfilling] stone with all its properties is priceless.
In whatever box it is revered,
If you take it out [of the box], it will shine (another version: will be as desirable),
Preserving the qualities of this jewel.
So also because of the supreme qualities of the Prajnaparamita
The victorious ones surpass suffering, their sharīramas make offerings,
And one who wishes to acquire the qualities of all the victorious ones
Mastering the Prajnaparamita is in it liberation.
Prajnya precedes generosity,
And morality, patience, diligence and meditation.
Helping not to exhaust virtue and good qualities,
It teaches the one principle of all phenomena.
For example, on the Jambudvipa [there are] ten billion trees
Of all kinds and different forms.
The coolness of their shade cannot be expressed [by anything],
[For] that shadow is not something measurable.
So also are the five perfections of the victorious,
Called [by the common name] "Prajnyaparamita."
In dedicating the merits to the attainment of omniscience
In [the experience of] bodhi, all these six [paramitas] acquire one taste.
If the bodhisattva loses his vigilance,
He perceives with ordinary consciousness form, discernment, feeling, and thinking,
He is a shining example of impermanence.
The illumined one is not involved in the destructive [game] of phenomena.
There is no form, there is no feeling, discernment has no basis,
There is no consciousness, thinking is unreal - in [these aggregates]
Perceive all phenomena unborn and void -
Such is the supreme conduct of the Prajnyaparamita.
If in worlds as innumerable as grains of sand in the Ganges,
Beings would tame [the kleshas on the path] of arhatship
And they would all rewrite this text of Prajnaparamita,
That the merit of offering [one] exquisite gift to the highest of beings [would be] greater.
Why study these supreme teachings?
They point to the emptiness of all phenomena.
To the shravakas they show the taste of rapid complete liberation,
And pratyekabuddhas commune the enlightenment of buddhas.
[In this] world, a tree without a sprout neither appears nor lives,
And blossoms and fruits appear on its branches, not elsewhere.
Without bodhichitta there is no appearance of the victorious in this world,
How can the shravaka attain fruit [from] Indra and Brahma?
When the sun gives light,
At that time beings labor diligently.
When bodhichitta is manifested in this world for the sake of knowledge,
By the power of original wisdom (jnana) beings acquire spiritual qualities.
For example, without the Naga Lord in Lake Manasarovar
How could the rivers in Jambudvipa flow?
Without the rivers, flowers and fruits would not appear,
And in the ocean no jewels would be born.
So also without bodhichitta where would come
The original wisdom of sugat in all these worlds?
Without this wisdom, there would be no growth of spiritual qualities, no enlightenment,
Nor would the Buddha-dharma, which is like an ocean, have appeared.
In this world the luminaries, to give light to beings,
emit their radiance,
But the radiance of only one ray of sunlight
Is incomparably stronger than the light of the rest of the luminaries.
[So] shravak gatherings by the diligent practice of generosity, morality
And meditation produce great accumulations of merit,
But the bodhisattva, by the mere thought of gratitude
[Exceeds] all these merits of the shravaks.
Gone [to nirvana] are the innumerable buddhas of the past,
Abiding in myriads of boundless [buddha-]kshetra,
Beyond all suffering, protectors of the universe
For the sake of the exhaustion of suffering, they give the precious teaching of the dharma.
From the first perfect generation of bodhichitta
And up to the time when the holy dharma of buddhas will disappear,
To all the merits of the victorious ones,
All perfect buddha-dharma,
To all the sons of buddhas and shravakas,
Teaching and unteaching, happiness conditioned and unconditioned -
The bodhisattva rejoices in all that is accumulated.
And devotes himself to the enlightenment of beings.
Making a perfect dedication to the beings,
He wishes them to attain complete enlightenment,
And for the development of such a desire, generates three types of intention,
And all external things are not included in initiation.
If this dharma meets obstacles and falls into decay,
Then the perfect initiation of merit is in decay.
Non-dedication in realizing the nature of things
There is perfect initiation.
If one becomes involved in the signs, there is no initiation.
Even if there are no signs, there is dedication [to attaining] enlightenment.
Like one who eats poisoned food and is not poisoned.
So [one should] follow the good dharma, as Victory said.
By learning such perfect initiation,
All the Triumphant ones rejoiced in virtue and all wisdom
In whatever elements and attributes,
And in the same measure in perfect dedication
Merit to full enlightenment -
[Such is] the doctrine of the victorious one of the Buddhas' immunity to poison.
Thus the devotee who dedicates merit in perfection, who lives in harmony with the world,
surpasses all bodhisattvas in greatness.
A blind man without a guide, not knowing all the many roads,
Can he enter the city?
Without prajna, the [other] five paramitas are like a blind man.
Without a guide one cannot partake of bodhi.
When one follows prajna,
It's [compared] to getting eyes - that's what it's called.
For example, the eyeless man who wishes to become a painter,
As long as there are no eyes, will not be rewarded for painting.
If the compound and the non-compound, the virtue and the evil
With the help of prajna to analyze, then not a single bit of reality can be seen.
And if in the same way one searches in [all] worlds for Prajnaparamita
In all the heavens not even the smallest particle of it can be found.
If a bodhisattva thinks, "May I act [in accordance] with the prajña of the victorious ones
And deliver countless beings from suffering!"
And in doing so he analyzes [his] conception of beings (sems can 'du shes),
This is not the supreme conduct of the Prajnaparamita.
In all the bodhisattvas of the past,
Knowledgeable and perfect in conduct, had no doubts.
[And if one] hears this teaching and develops the desire
Immediately to attain the peace of bodhi,
Even if he venerates the innumerable buddhas of the past,
But will not venerate the Prajnaparamita of the Triumphant One,
Listening with such little intention, he rejects it,
And having rejected it, he loses his refuge and falls into Avicii hell.
Thus, desiring to partake of the supreme original wisdom of enlightenment,
One must venerate this Mother of Victories,
Just as a merchant, arriving on an island of jewels,
Will not long sell his goods, and quickly return home.
The purity of every form must be known as the purity of the fruit.
All fruit and form turn to the purity of omniscience - so it is said.
Pure omniscience, fruit and form
Are inseparable, like the element of space.
The devotee through the conduct of Prajnaparamita
Rises above the three worlds, but does not [accept] complete liberation.
Even having conquered the kleshas, he is reborn as a teacher,
And in old age gives an immortal example of death and rebirth.
The beings of this [world] are mired in the mire of names and forms.
Wandering in the circle of samsara, like the whirlwind of the wind,
Beings are trapped in illusionality like wild animals.
But the wise one is like a bird flying swiftly in the sky.
In its perfect behavior, uninvolved in forms,
Uninvolved in consciousness, recognition, feeling and thinking,
Completely sweeps away all attachment -
[Thus] the wise conduct of the Sugata consists in the complete liberation from attachments.
[9. praise].
By acting in this way, the bodhisattva manifests wisdom.
By cutting off attachment, one marches without attachment to beings,
Just as the sun, liberated by the planet Rahu and left to shine,
Burns with fire the grass, trees and forests.
All phenomena are perfectly pure in their nature -
[Seeing them as such] with the gaze of Prajnyaparamita, bodhisattva,
Even involving himself in affairs, does not consider the phenomena that have no reality to be real -
Such is the supreme conduct of the Prajnäparamita.
[10. The quality of steadfastness]
The king of the gods, Indra, asked the victorious one:
"What is like [the paramita of] diligence in the wise conduct of the bodhisattva?"
Without exerting the slightest effort in the aggregates (skandhas) and dhatu,
The bodhisattva is diligent in not being diligent [with regard to] the aggregates.
One who perceives all phenomena as like a magical illusion,
Does not doubt and uses them as instruction -
Him who surpasses the innumerable buddhas,
Should enter Mahayana and know it.
A man who has walked many miles on his way to the temple,
When he reached the border of the pastures and saw the abundant grove,
He felt it was a sign of a village or a city,
And he was cheered up, no longer fearful of robbers.
In the same way, the seeker of enlightenment reaches the ferryman -
This Prajnyaparamita of all the Victorious.
Rising in spirit and free from fear,
Passes the steps of arhat and pratyekabuddha.
He goes to the ocean to behold its inexhaustible waters,
Even seeing that the trees and forests and mountains are still far away,
And seeing no sign of the great ocean,
Surely feels that it is near.
In the same way one should listen to and comprehend this Prajnaparamita of the victorious one,
He who abides in the pure bodhi -
Even without receiving the teaching directly from the Buddha,
One can quickly partake of enlightenment.
In the good time of spring, when the leaves appear on the trees,
Branching out, [these] leaves, fruits and flowers multiply rapidly.
[And so] by encountering this Prajnaparamita,
One can quickly comprehend the enlightenment of the buddhas.
As a pregnant woman, suffering and exposed to danger,
[All the time] thinking, "When will the time of childbirth come?"
So the bodhisattva listens to the wisdom (prajña) of the victorious ones,
Generates joy and trust, and instantly partakes of bodhi.
Entering into the supreme behavior of Prajnyaparamita,
Whether forms appear or disappear, does not perceive them.
[And also] perceives neither dharma nor adharma nor dharmadhata -
The intangible prajña is beyond suffering.
The Buddha, in his perception of phenomena, does not clothe them in concepts,
Perceives neither physical nor magical manifestations nor bodhi peace as real.
Abiding in thoughtlessness, he acts in the grace of freedom from concepts.
Such is the supreme conduct of Prajnyaparamita.
Subhuti said to the Buddha, the Light of Doctrine:
"Those who love virtue [face] obstacles,
Finding themselves in difficulty in carrying out the teacher's instructions,"
And for this for a short time [a] revelation arises.
When this Prajnaparamita is written,
Various kinds of courage arise,
Aimed at the lightning-quick bringing of timeless good to beings
And the suppression of the deeds of Mara.
In studying it, not much doubt arises.
The [Prajnaparamita] guru does not emphasize his name,
Family, homeland, and origin.
Listening to her, an unbreakable renunciation of the deeds of Mara arises.
To the ignorant, foolishly seeking a root from the earth
[On] branches and leaves,
Or seeking the elephant that is before their noses -
They are like those who listen to the Prajnaparamita and look for rules in it.
As if one were to have an exquisite food of a hundred tastes,
And he will look for poison in it.
That's like the bodhisattva who meets the Prajnaparamita
And seeks bodhi from the position of an arhat.
There arises a desire for honors and a thirst for gain,
Followers of [different] views, desiring acquaintance with like-minded people,
Abandon dharma and devote themselves to adharma,
Going astray and going astray is the effect of Mara.
When their intention and faith
To listen to this holy dharma are gone,
There is no [in them] the joy of knowing the dharma,
And their life is miserable.
This is where these deeds of Mara are manifested,
And when under the pressure of bhikshu
Prajnaparamita is abandoned,
Further obstacles arise.
Those who acquire the priceless treasure
Are rare, [for in our time] there are always many obstacles.
So is the supreme Prajnyaparamita of the victorious one,
Precious Dharma, is rare and always [fraught with] many obstacles.
Beings who enter the New Chariot with little intention,
Lose the rare jewel,
And Mara appears to mend obstacles -
[Then] they call upon the buddhas of the ten directions.
One mother, who had many sons, became ill,
And they, anxious, began to care for her.
And so the buddhas of all the worlds of the ten directions
Meditate on the Mother, the sacred prajna.
All superior protectors of the worlds of the ten directions
Will appear in the future because of her.
The Mother who gives birth to the world teachers and victorious ones
And giving support in other beings and strength of mind.
Such is the peace and such is the arhat,
Such is the pratyekabuddha and such is the son of the Victorious;
The unrevealed identity is precisely how the takoyness of the
Prajnyaparamita of the tathagata.
The wise one who lives in the world and beyond suffering,
Abides in the emptiness of the phenomena of the pure dharmata.
The bodhisattva who comprehends this takaya (tathathatha),
He is called the buddha-tathagata.
And this realm of experience of teachers endowed with the ten powers,
It is anchored in the paradise gardens of Prajnaparamita.
Delivering beings from the suffering of the three lower worlds,
They don't even have any conceptions of these beings.
Like the fearless lion, having support in the mountains,
inspires fear in lesser beasts with his roar,
So does the Lion among men, having his footing in the Prajnaparamita,
growling at the world, instills fear in the extreme believers.
As a ray of sunshine in the sky
Dries the earth and at the same time illuminates the forms,
So the dharmaraja, relying on the Prajnaparamita,
Dries up the stream of the river of being and reveals the dharma.
Not seeing forms, not feeling sensation,
Not to perceive perception, not to think of thought,
Not to see any consciousness, mind and thought.
Such is the view of the dharma, such is the teaching of the tathagata.
The beings in words speak of this as a vision of heaven.
To explore the essence of this vision like the sky -
This is the view of the dharma, so teaches the tathagata.
[This] view cannot be explained by another example.
[13. Thoughtlessness.]
He who is endowed with this view sees all phenomena.
The king in impartiality [leaves] the minister to do all the work,
[So also] the affairs of the shravakas turn to buddha-activity,
And they act in the paramitas of prajni.
Just as the king, without travelling through villages and provinces,
Gathers all [his subjects] to himself,
[So] the bodhisattva, without engaging in appearances,
Collects all the qualities of the Buddha level.
[14. Equality].
The bodhisattva rests his faith on sugat,
Thinking and acting according to the highest Prajnaparamita.
Surpassing the levels of the arhat and pratyekabuddha,
[He] easily attains the unsurpassed bodhi of the victorious.
As if a ship sailing on the ocean were to be wrecked,
And those who do not hold on to straw or wood sink
In the abyss, fearing not to reach the shore,
And those who hold on swim out of the ocean,
Thus endowed with faith, attaining bliss,
Following the Mother-Prajnyaparamita, they renounce.
[They always swim across the ocean of samsara,
Breaking the waves of birth, old age, death and sorrow.
Those who are imbued with good prajna,
Are versed in the nature of phenomena, and see the supreme truth,
Artful in the chariot of merit, wisdom and renunciation of riches] -
They are quick to partake of the supreme miraculous bodhi sugat.
If a certain [potter sees] water appearing in an unburnt pot,
He will realize that because it is fragile, it will quickly crack,
And having evaporated the water from the firing process,
No longer] fears that [the pot] will crack, and happily returns home.
So also the bodhisattva with strong faith,
By denying the prajna, easily becomes a villain.
But if diligently following prajna,
Passes the two levels [shravakas and pratyekabuddhas] and attains the highest bodhi.
For example, if a ship built with imperfections, sailing in the ocean,
Loaded with jewels, but with rotten wood, is wrecked,
then a well-made ship
Reaches the shore unharmed.
So also the bodhisattva, guided by [mere] faith,
Without prajna, he quickly departs from bodhi,
But if [acting] in harmony with the supreme Prajnaparamita,
Unharmed is the immaculate bodhi of the triumphant.
A man who has reached the age of 120 years and is suffering from old age,
Cannot get out of bed and walk by himself.
But when there is someone [who points] in a direction and on whom he can lean,
He can easily walk without fear of falling.
So is the bodhisattva, weak in faith,
Now and then gaining it, now and then losing it,
Clinging to higher methods and wisdom,
Induces himself to the inexhaustible enlightenment of the tathagatas.
The bodhisattva, abiding in the first karmic1 bhumi,
With sublime contemplation enters the highest bodhi of buddhas.
The good disciple, honoring the guru,
Always clings to knowledgeable preceptors.
Why then do these qualities arise in the wise?
They clarify the Prajnaparamita.
About the highest of the qualities in those who rely on spiritual friends in the Buddha-dharma,
The victorious one said thus:
[Practicing] generosity, morality, patience, and diligence,
Meditation and wisdom, and devoting them entirely to enlightenment,
Do not fall into attachment, seeking enlightenment in the skandhas.
This is how beginners should be taught.
Thus do the lights of the teachings, the oceans of virtue,
Refuges of beings and protectors.
The supreme teacher is a pillar, [the object of] thoughts and a shrine, who desires the good of [beings],
An unquenchable lamp, teaching the supreme dharma.
Those who have a great ally put on the armor of the feat,
And skandhas, dhatu and ayatanas are not armor.
He who has fully comprehended freedom from the concepts of the three chariots,
No turning back, immovable, steadfast and pious.
Such a righteous man is unsophisticated,
Free from the doubts of the dualistic mind and bears goodness.
Listening to the Prajnaparamita, he does not hesitate,
And the kindness of others neither accepts nor returns-so it should be known.
This profound dharma of teachers is difficult to understand,
But if one does not understand, one cannot attain [fruit].
Therefore, those who have attained bodhi lovingly help
And care for beings, lessening their anxieties.
Beings who are [confined] to a place indulge in mirth and become involved in material things,
And so [live] darkened by ignorance, stupidity and stupidity.
But the doctrine of the way to attain unboundedness [of place] and non-attachment
Challenges the world.
In the element of space, east and south,
And west and north are not limited by anything.
The top and the bottom exist [only in relation to] the ten directions
Without distinguishing or separating [themselves].
Such is the liberation [there is] such a non-attainment,
So is the takeness of all phenomena the takeness of the arhat.
All phenomena are indistinguishable in their being,
Sugat enlightenment is free from [conceptual] distinction of phenomena.
Every bodhisattva desires to attain this,
When he achieves it, he reunites with the Prajnaparamita.
If the teacher has no prajna, there is no attainment.
The giant bird, having grown to the size of 150 yojanas,
Lost the ability to fly.
And jumped out of the abode of the thirty-three gods of Jambudvipa,
Injured herself.
These five paramitas of the victorious
Realized during countless kalpas
[In] boundless aspiration, [so that this] immense world, based on etherealism,
[Which] without method or wisdom [turns] to Shravakayana,
Possesses this Buddhayana,
Desiring that all beings, our parents, with an equal mind,
With benevolent thoughts and a loving heart tame themselves,
Without anger and speaking honestly and gently.
Sthavira Subhuti asked the Defender of Peace:
- Ocean of qualities, grant the teaching of the signs of non-entry into suffering!
The mighty do not return [to samsara],
So let the victorious One tell at least the semblance of their qualities!
Tell the noble word of freedom from the idea of separation!
- Practitioners of virtue do not seek support in Brahmans,
The wise always turn away from the three lower worlds.
They diligently pursue the path of the ten virtues
And, without engaging in material things, teach the dharma,
[Finding] single joy in dharma and always speaking softly.
Walking, moving, lying down, sitting - fully attentive,
Do not fall into delusion, like the one who works in the field, who sees only [his] yoke,
Wearing robes of the three kinds of purity, Living in solitude.
Without striving for possession, leading after themselves are always devoted to dharma,
Free from the deeds of Mara, and do not accept the kindness of others.
Contemplating the four dhyans, do not abide in them,
Neither desire glory nor envelop the mind in anger.
Even having a household, they are not attached to things,
Nor seek riches more [than necessary for a simple life].
Nor use wrathful mantras and mantras to seduce women,
Nor teach the voluptuous how to change sex.
In strict seclusion they strive for the highest Prajnaparamita,
Those free from quarrels and disputes cultivate a loving mind.
Eager to know all, always diligent in learning,
Avoid the barbarians from the outlying lands.
Steady in their land, like Mount Meru,
For the sake of dharma they sacrifice their lives and are diligent in yoga.
Thus those who have attained non-return practice prajña.
Forms, Sensation, Perception, Thinking, and Consciousness
Deep in their nature, they have no signs and are at rest.
Just as one searches the bottom of the ocean with an arrow,
So also the prajña cannot comprehend the full depth of the skandhas.
So also the bodhisattva, acquiring the depths,
Not bound to the chariot of ultimate meaning
And comprehending the dharma of non-existence of scandhas, dhatu and ayatan
[Accumulates] good merit, and what obscurations can there be?
As in the case of a certain voluptuary following the dharma, [when he]
Made a date with a woman and she didn't come,
And the next day all his thoughts are conditioned [by emotion] -
[And so] the perfection of the bodhisattva is attained over many kalpas.
Throughout countless kalpas the bodhisattva
May practice the generosity of the arhats and pratyekabuddhas and guard morality.
But any teaching of the supreme Prajnaparamita that can be understood,
Is incomparably superior to generosity and morality.
The bodhisattva, training in the supreme prajna,
Having nurtured it, teaches impeccable dharma,
And devoting [merit] to the enlightenment of beings,
Impassioned of this merit, transcending the three worlds.
Having accumulated this merit and thereby exalted,
Knows that this accumulation has no nature of reality,
And so, practicing prajna sugat,
Acquires [even more] immeasurable merit.
By diligently practicing and teaching the Buddha's teachings,
Explains all phenomena simply and teaches the knowledge of nirodha.
But even so teaching innumerable kalpas,
To the dharmadhata [nothing] will come or go.
The perfection of the victorious ones is.
Such is the simple name of these teachings.
A bodhisattva who dedicates merit and is not proud
Undaunted and communicates the ultimate enlightenment of the buddhas.
At first, faced with the essence of the luminosity of the oil of grains,
This essence cannot be described, and because of its unreality this [essence] does not burn.
The [really] tangible flame is completely in [this] indescribable essence,
But the essence of the flame is always impossible to describe.
When the first initiation of bodhichitta does not result in the illumination of the highest bodhi,
This absence is the result of an incapacity for such contact.
The ultimate mind [arhat] does not attain the peace of bodhi,
And this lack of attainment is the result of incapacity for such attainment.
From the seed comes sprout, flower, and fruit,
If it [encounters] obstacles, the tree will not grow.
So also the first bud of bodhichitta, being the cause of [attaining] bodhi,
If it meets obstacles, it does not [lead to the attainment of] bodhi.
Pouring water into the vessel drop by drop,
Gradually, little by little, one may fill it.
So is the first bud of bodhichitta, being the cause of supreme bodhi,
By the gradual completion [of] the accumulation of good qualities will lead to [the state of] buddhahood.
Dharma behavior [is characterized by] emptiness, absence of lust and signs,
In freedom from suffering there is no involvement in signs.
Like a wise boatman, sailing here and there,
He is not drawn to the two extremes and does not remain [all the time] in the ocean.
The bodhisattva who acts and thinks this way,
Without any pride by means of the ten powers communicates to the promised bodhi,
And in this bodhi of non-existence there is no place for fear.
This is the way of the sugata who practices prajna.
The path of the defender of the world is fraught with hunger and disease,
But seeing them, he is not afraid and puts on his armor.
For the rest of his life he is always diligent and attentive
He never generates the slightest bitterness in his mind.
The bodhisattva who practices the prajña of the victorious one,
Knows that all skandhas are originally empty and unborn.
Without remaining on the ferry, out of compassion enters the worlds of beings
And all the while does not deviate from buddha-dharma.
As if one were wise and endowed with qualities,
Strong and invincible, diligent, artistic, satisfied,
Achieving perfection in archery,
Realized magical powers, desiring the good of beings,
With care for his parents and wife.
Bringing much joy, following the path of the protector.
This ascetic, displaying great heroism,
Comes to happiness, as if returning home.
So also the wise bodhisattva,
Generating great compassion in all worlds of beings,
Passing through the two stages of the four Mars,
Stays with the supreme samadhi, unshadowed by enlightenment.
Space is the fulcrum of the wind, and in it the fulcrum of the water masses,
In them is the buttress of this great earth, and in it the buttress of beings.
This is similar to the causes of the actions of beings under the influence of karma,
But they all remain in [the same] space - so thinking,
The bodhisattva abides in emptiness,
Aware of beings and leaning on aspiration,
Teaches [them] in many different ways,
Free from suffering and not abiding in emptiness.
The bodhisattva always manifests wisdom,
While in the sacred samadhi of the rest of emptiness.
At this time, he does not meditate on the signs,
But dwells in the absence of signs and in peace.
The bird that flies in the sky is not in one place,
And therefore does not fall to the ground.
So also the bodhisattva acts [through] the gate of liberation,
Free from suffering, Without engaging in signs.
For example, if a student of archery shoots an arrow into the sky
And ties to it a string of other arrows,
To prevent the first from falling to the ground,
No matter how much he desires, the arrow will fall to the ground.
So also the supreme conduct of the Prajnaparamita
By the power of wisdom and methods more shrewd than magic.
Until the root of virtue is hardened,
Can not comprehend the sacred emptiness.
If a bhikshu, quite versed in magic,
Suddenly manifests in the sky a magical vision,
That moves, walks, lies and sits,
He himself does not tire.
So also the wise bodhisattva, who has attained emptiness,
Does not remain beyond the magical primordial wisdom,
Showing the beings various deeds
Constantly throughout millions of kalpas.
For example, someone sitting in a large pit
And holding two umbrellas in both hands, pointing them upwards,
Bouncing, remaining in the pit,
So that those walking [through] the pit will not fall into it.
So also the wise bodhisattva, abiding in compassion,
Holding firmly the two umbrellas of method and wisdom,
He who comprehends emptiness, absence of signs and intentions,
Free from suffering and seeing the dharmas [as they are].
As a certain merchant, desiring treasure, went to an island of jewels
And, having received the treasure, returned home.
And began to live happily,
Not taking the misfortune of friends and relatives to heart,
So the bodhisattva, arriving on the island of precious emptiness,
Gains the ability to contemplate
And, free from suffering, he partakes of the Buddha-kshetra of Abhirati,
Without taking the suffering of beings to heart.
Like a merchant who wishes to learn successful trade,
He travels safely around the cities,
But stays not in them, nor lingers on the island of jewels
And becomes a connoisseur of roads, [even] not living in families where they know [those] roads,
So also the bodhisattva clarifies the views of the shravakas
And pratyekabuddhas, being versed in ultimate liberation,
Without being involved in them or abiding [all the time] in the original wisdom of the buddhas,
Knowing the peculiarities of the path of non-fixation for the non-compound.
Always connecting with beings in love,
He practices samadhi of non-attachment to emptiness without signs,
And having attained freedom from suffering,
Is not involved in the naming of the composite.
For example, the incarnate human body is not non-existent,
And it can be named.
So also the bodhisattva passes through [the three] gates of liberation,
And that [too] can be given a name.
If the senses are strongly involved in the external,
The bodhisattva [manifests] the dharma of emptiness and absence of signs
And the dharma of the level of non-return for the sake of non-learning,
Remaining steadfast and neutral - so it should be known.
[He] does not wish [to attain] the level of arhat and the wisdom of pratyekabuddha,
And in the three worlds, [like] dreaming,
He sees buddhas and manifests dharma to beings.
Such is the doctrine of non-return.
See the beings of the three lower worlds [like] a dream,
Deeply wish for them to be instantly delivered from the shackles of these worlds
And by righteous blessing extinguish [the passions of] the worlds -
Such is the doctrine of non-return.
Many provocations and diseases sent upon men by worldly spirits,
Are pacified by the caring and loving goodness of righteousness,
Not producing arrogance and pride.
Such is the doctrine of non-return.
When from the abundance of all these blessings
Pride arises from the thought, "It is I who teach!"
And if the bodhisattva boasts of teaching before others,
One should know that pride is [a sign of] a limited mind).
From the base of the name creeps the Mara,
And he who hears [the name] has [the concept of] HE, HIS parents,
HIS relatives up to the seventh tribe - all with their names,
And the attainment of the state of buddhahood is also ONE and has a name.
"Why does the yogi indulge in ascesis?" -
"Because of the tendencies of HIS past qualities,"
Hearing such words, the bodhisattva surrenders to pride
And under the power of Mara restricts his mind - so it should be known.
In remote mountain villages,
Being in solitary retreat with a pious appearance,
The bodhisattva, seeking honors from others,
Comes under the power of Mara and restricts his mind - so it should be known.
Living all the time in villages and county towns,
He who strives for enlightenment and does not include beings in this maturation,
Desiring only [the attainment of] arhat and pratyekabuddha and generates nothing else.
Such a [practitioner] is very far from being called a son of sugat.
To retire five hundred yojanas to a mountain valley,
full of serpents, and abide there for millions of years.
A bodhisattva who doesn't know what it's like to be so alone,
In arrogant pride he falls under the power of demons.
When a bodhisattva who diligently meditates for the benefit of beings,
Having realized his powers and abilities and attained samadhi,
Nor withdraws into hermitage, thinking himself above it.
This is the realm of Mara's deeds, so said the Victorious One.
To be able to abide both in the village and in the hermitage,
To understand perfect enlightenment as being free from the notions of the two chariots -
Abiding in such a hermitage acting for the benefit of beings,
The bodhisattva experiences the equilibrium of the mind.
In search of the sacred bodhi
By the wisdom of common sense [he] overcomes pride.
Just as the physician who cares for the sick clothes them,
So the spiritual friend should tirelessly show care.
Buddhas abide in supreme enlightenment, and bodhisattvas,
Endowed with perfection, With their spiritual aid,
Instruct the same [to others] and by such practice,
And also, by virtue of the double cause, quickly attain the enlightenment of the buddhas.
The victorious one is free, neither coming [nor going], abiding in the ten directions,
Having attained perfection in all paths - there is no other way [to say].
This perfection-paramita is for those who abide in the exceeding bodhi -
Light and luminary, manifestation [of truth] and supreme teacher.
Since Prajnaparamita is empty of signs,
Then to perceive all phenomena with their signs identical
And understand the emptiness and unreality of the signs of the phenomena -
Thus acting, practicing the conduct of sugat.
Beings in their erroneous perception (parikalpita) are dependent on food,
Constantly circling in samsara, bound to it by the mind.
The concept of self and its duality is wrong and empty.
The fool restricts himself by tying the knot of selfhood.
Like someone fearing he has taken poison,
Falls without feeling, though the poison did not enter him,
So the fool is convinced that there is an "I" and a "mine."
Falls into delusion and is reborn.
Learning both of the subject and of the omnipresent mites,
Completely purified from the notions of "I" and "mine."
[But] not completely purified of the kleshas,
The bodhisattva comprehends the Prajnaparamita.
All beings of the Jambudvipa are without exception,
Generating the supreme bodhichitta,
Practicing generosity for many millions of years
And devoting merit to the full enlightenment of all beings -
Each [of them], by being diligent in Prajnaparamita,
Would become like the sun
And accumulated immeasurable merit -
To this end one should always tirelessly enter the prajnya.
A yogi practicing Prajnaparamita,
Who engenders great compassion and does not think of beings [as real] -
To such a sage beings will be generous,
And he will always receive alms in [their] locality.
Through such a lasting connection, bodhisattva,
To liberate beings in the worlds of gods, of men, and in the three lower worlds,
Desiring [to walk] the broad way on this side of existence for the benefit of beings in the worlds,
Day and night must strive in Prajnaparamita.
One man, having once failed to attain the great jewel,
Was able to obtain it later, and from his joy
Carelessly he lost it at once,
And having lost it, passionately desired it [again] and suffered.
And likewise, abiding in the highest bodhi,
The yogin should not discard the jewel-like Prajnaparamita,
But having received [this] jewel, with diligence and favorable [conditions]
Quickly lead beings to pacification.
The sun in the cloudless [sky] piercing rays
At sunrise dispels the dense darkness,
[Illuminates] worms, fireflies, all living beings and spirits,
Shading the stars and the light of the moon.
So also the bodhisattva in the supreme conduct of Prajnaparamita
Acts in emptiness and absence of signs,
By wisdom overcomes the darkness of attitudes,
And thereby far surpasses beings, arhats and pratyekabuddhas.
As if a prince, willing to sacrifice wealth for the benefit of others,
Strives to become a universal leader,
But before [becoming one,] he brings happiness to many beings.
By [this] method he will undoubtedly become ruler of the kingdom.
So also the bodhisattva, versed in wise conduct,
Pleasing the gods and men with the offering of amrita
And striving to help the multitude of beings,
He will undoubtedly become a dharmaraja.
And there [appears] Mara, causing pain,
[Provoking] emotion, weariness, suffering and dissatisfaction,
Causing despair in the bodhisattva's mind,
[Just] as a meteorite that engulfs the horizon in flame frightens.
Wise ones always, [even] in abundance of thought,
Day and night behold the meaning of the supreme Prajnaparamita.
Then body and mind become like a bird flying in the sky,
And there is no harm from ill-favored friends.
When quarrels and disputes arise, the bodhisattva
Because of discord [may] become enraged -
Then Mara rejoices,
Seeing the two qualities of buddhas' wisdom estranged.
In their absence, [the bodhisattva] becomes like a pishacha
And he forgets both vows.
Where does the bodhi come from in hatred and intolerance?
And here the demons of [all] sides exult.
Not acquiring the prophecy [of attaining enlightenment], the bodhisattva
Begins to rage at the attainment of prophecy,
And instantly [all kinds of anger appear].
They are the ones who, from the beginning of time, compel one to put on armor.
[The bodhisattva] by the paramitas of enlightened diligence takes communion with bodhi.
Thinking, "This is not a good thought," he generates remembrance.
And, repenting of all and then renouncing,
In unsophisticated joy he studies the buddha-dharma.
Whatever he studies, he asserts nothing,
[Since] neither the student nor the teaching possesses the nature of reality.
The thoughtlessness regarding the duality of teaching and nonteaching
By learning this, one learns buddha-dharma.
The bodhisattva who understands this teaching,
In further learning, does not lose his morality.
He learns it for the sake of comprehending buddha-dharma,
But in comprehending this teaching, he is not fixed on it.
This is how wise luminaries learn prajna,
Not generating a single-mindedness for lack of virtue,
Just as from the subduing rays of the sun
In the space before it, darkness does not [find] itself.
Those who study Prajnaparamita,
Collect all the perfections-paramitas.
As the worldly philosophers have revealed the sixty-two views,
So do they accumulate these paramitas-so it is said.
Just as the life force is exhausted, so are the other forces,
That exist, cease,
So do the highest sages who practice prajña,
Accumulate all perfection - so it is said.
A bodhichitta knower has all the qualities of shravakas,
And also studies all the qualities of pratyekabuddhas,
But is not fixed or attached to them,
But teaches because they need to be studied.
The joy of abiding in the highest bodhi of non-return
And by the pure intention of generating bodhichitta
Can be compared to the weight of a billion mountains of Meru,
But the merit of the joy is unmatched.
The pursuit of virtue and the desire to help
All beings, [co]rejoicing in all these merits,
Acquiring the qualities of the victorious,
For the sake of the cessation of suffering, practices the giving of teachings to the world.
Bodhisattva, perceiving phenomena without judging them,
But empty, devoid of signs and uncreated,
Does not seek bodhi through the two wisdoms,
But zealous in the yoga of Prajnaparamita.
Just as the element of space and its opposite -
The non-existent, cannot come together,
So does the wise bodhisattva who practices prajña,
Like the sky, acts pacifyingly [on the passions].
[Just as] someone in the crowd is thought of as a magical manifestation,
And he, without a desire to amaze anyone,
Manifests various magical visions,
Having no body, no mind, no name,
The same is thought of the prajña practitioner, [who],
Having attained bodhi, does not think strenuously of the liberation of beings,
But in all new births
Appears like illusion and practices thoughtlessness.
For example, the buddha [in the body of] emanation performs enlightened activities
And in doing so does not generate the slightest pride.
So also the bodhisattva, versed in the conduct of prajna
Like the illusory emanation manifests all the deeds.
The skillful woodcarver [carvings] of both men and women
Carves equally [without emotion] as all his works.
So does the bodhisattva who is versed in the conduct of prajni,
He does everything in the state of wisdom of unthinking.
So before the wise in conduct the hosts of gods
They bow with folded palms, and praise the qualities.
And praise the qualities,
[Equal to the qualities] of all the buddhas who are in charge of the worlds in the ten directions.
[If] beings like [the number of grains of sand] in the Ganges,
imagined themselves to be demons,
To the wise they could not create obstacles,
Not even the smallest hair of him.
A bodhisattva endowed with wisdom and power from the four causes,
The four demons cannot shake even in difficult situations.
Meeting no obstacle [in perceiving] beings as void,
No matter what he is told or done, he [always] bears the blessing of sugat.
In explaining this Prajnyaparamita, Mother Sugat,
Bodhisattva feels awe.
Venerating her with a pure heart in the highest zeal,
The noble attains omniscience - so it should be known.
The Dharmadhatu invariably abides in this kind of omniscience.
For example, just as a cloud in the sky does not rest [on anything],
The holder of the vidyamantra, intending to rest [only] on space without place,
By the blessing of the power of the mantra receives a flower that does not grow at this time of year.
The Bodhisattva, acting in this way, manifests wisdom
And, realizing full understanding, does not [use] the buddha-dharma as a support for the mind,
In explaining the teachings, does not follow the gaze of dharma desire,
But abides in the joy of the quality of striving for rest.
The liberation of the arhat does not include [the attainment of] the tathagata,
The state of shravakas and pratyekabuddhas
Happiness in the tranquility of samadhi of rest -
Is not supreme and complete.
A bird, while in the sky, does not fall down.
A fish, while in the water, does not suffocate.
So the bodhisattva, by the power of mind-holding
Reaches the opposite shore, abiding in emptiness beyond suffering.
[When] endowed with the highest qualities of all beings,
Communicating the supreme miraculous original wisdom of the buddhas,
Desires to attain the supreme sacred Cloud of dharma,
Putting the basis of helping [others] -
[If] a preceptor expounds such a teaching,
It is not the highest of all teachings.
The wise, striving to transcend all teachings,
They comprehend the Buddha's teachings - this Prajnaparamita.
This teaching is the ultimate sacred treasury of dharma,
The seed of enlightenment that gives happiness to beings.
Protectors of worlds in the ten directions, beyond [everything] and beyond coming [and going],
Being born from it, [abide] in the indestructible dharmadhatu.
Trees, fruits, flowers and groves -
They all emerge and grow from the earth,
Though the earth is not depleted or growing,
No damage, no reflection, and no weariness.
All that brings happiness to the sons of buddhas, the shravakas,
Pratyekabuddhas, gods and all beings,
Comes from the supreme Prajnaparamita,
And all wisdom neither depletes nor increases.
All beings of the highest and middle [levels], becoming on the highest [level],
They take the beginning [of existence] in ignorance - so the Sugata says.
Because of the combination of reasons there is an illusory cycle of suffering,
And this cycle of ignorance is not exhausted and does not increase.
The ways and gates of knowledge, the methods and the root of all things
Originate in the Prajnaparamita.
Because of the totality of causes, the illusory cycle of karma arises,
Prajnaparamita does not deplete or increase.
The bodhisattva recognizes every support and interdependence that arises
He recognizes as unborn and inexhaustible prajña.
Just as the sun's rays dispel darkness,
The clouds of ignorance are vanquished and comprehension is self-generated.
He who possesses the great power [of the mind] abides and acts through the four dhyans,
Without creating support or fixating on one's actions.
Although dhyana has these four branches,
It becomes the fulcrum of attaining the supreme sacred bodhi.
One who has attained the highest prajna abides in the dhyānas,
Enjoying the experience of the four sacred samadhi without forms.
These dhyanas are the support for the supreme sacred bodhi,
[But] the bodhisattva does not study them for the sake of purification from impurity.
[All] these and other qualities, having miraculously arisen
From being in dhyana and samadhi, they have no signs,
But if any [signs] remain in them,
Then according to the way of thinking are born in the world of desire.
As if a certain man in Jambudvipa, [living] formerly in the world of gods,
Now cannot enter the city of the gods,
But having the ability to perceive and see these abodes,
Is not bound and does not seek to go back,
So also the bodhisattva, possessing the highest qualities,
By diligence in yoga, dhyana and samadhi,
Even returning to the world of desire, does not [give rise to] attachment.
And, like a lotus in water, does not follow the dharma of fools.
Beings develop [in themselves] great selfhood,
And clearing [these] fields of Prajnaparamita for the sake of the perfect good [gives] single deliverance.
In the experience of the perfect qualities of bodhi
There is no desire to be born into a world without forms.
As if a certain man who found a treasure trove of treasures,
He did not create a thirst to possess it,
[But when he came after] some time, he took it out,
and took it and went home, not being attached to it,
So also the wise and joyful bodhisattva,
Having attained the four kinds of resting dhyana and samadhi, giving happiness,
But having attained the pleasure of dhyana and samadhi, renounces [it].
And, loving and compassionate to beings, returns to the world of desire.
If the bodhisattva, abiding in samadhi and dhyans,
Causes the desire to follow the chariot of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas,
He loses his equanimity, and there is agitation and vacillation in his mind,
He loses all the qualities of buddhas, [and is now like] a lonely ferryman in a boat.
Then [there arises] form, sound, smell, taste,
Taste, and aspiration for the five objects of pleasure.
The bodhisattva, rejoicing in his freedom from the chariot of arhats and pratyekabuddhas,
Always heroically adheres to equanimity and practices prajña.
[Turning] pure thought to impure beings,
In the paramitas of diligence shows [joyful] effort.
For example, the maid who carries water is defenseless before the master's power,
So also the ascetics advance [on the path] by the power of all beings.
[The servant] may always receive a blow for his deeds,
But will not say a word back to his master,
Thinking that he may be killed [for it],
And this fear overpowers [the desire to answer].
So also he who enters [the path of] bodhi for its [final comprehension] sake,
should become a servant of all beings.
Through this one achieves bodhi and the qualities become perfect,
[Just as] fire burns, arising from grass and wood.
Giving up personal happiness and expecting nothing [in return],
[The bodhisattva] devotes himself to the needs of other beings,
As a mother cares for her only son.
Sincerely and tirelessly.
The bodhisattva rotates [in samsara] for a long time,
Practicing the yoga of helping beings and diligence in cultivating the land,
And generating not the slightest sense of weariness from rebirths,
By the paramita of diligence [overcomes] laziness.
The inexperienced bodhisattva keeps count of kalpas,
And if it seems to him [that period] long, instead of suffering he wishes to enter bodhi.
The practice of pure dharma for a long time is burdensome to him,
And in his laziness he loses the paramita of diligence.
The highest bodhisattva, from the first generation of bodhichitta
And up to the attainment of the highest enlightenment,
By day and night [practicing] the unidirectionality of the mind,
manifesting wisdom, begins with diligence - so it should be known.
But if one narrates that to attain bodhi
One must first roll up the mountain of Meru,
And if [in doing so] fatigue arises and the mind is restricted.
[Such a] bodhisattva surrenders to laziness.
But if one assesses these difficulties with an open mind,
Then is born the conviction that Mt. Meru can be easily and instantly wiped out -
[So] the knowledgeable bodhisattva begins to strive
And in a short time attains the supreme enlightenment of buddhahood.
[To understand that] one must act for the benefit of beings
In the practice of diligence in body, speech and mind,
[And in doing so,] thinking of oneself, indulge in laziness,
[Means] to distance oneself from omniscience, as earth is [separated] from heaven.
Never making distinction between body, mind and beings,
Reversing concepts, practicing the dharma of non-doubtfulness -
Such [practitioner], striving for the supreme inexhaustible peace of bodhi
And bringing good, [exemplifies] the paramita of diligence - so it is said.
If an experienced bodhisattva hears evil and rude words from others
And remains calm and joyful,
[Making no distinction] who speaks, who listens, whoever does what and for whatsoever [does],
Then he is endowed with the highest paramitas of patience and wisdom.
Every bodhisattva follows the good dharma of patience.
[If] one offers a billion jewels to the worldlings
Buddhas, arhats and pratyekabuddhas,
That abundant offering is not comparable [to patience].
In him who keeps patience the body is completely purified,
[Appearing] thirty-two attributes and forbidden powers and abilities.
Revealing to beings the supreme dharma of emptiness,
The patient one teaches beings joy.
If one takes the sandalwood powder
And with supreme reverence applies it to a bodhisattva,
And another throws burning coals into his head - to both of them.
He should beget the same equality.
Thus the bodhisattva, enduring all things,
Begetting bodhichitta and devoting merit to supreme enlightenment.
Devotees of all worlds surpass the arhats in patience,
Pratyekabuddhas and all worldly sages.
The practitioner of patience, generating bodhichitta, must imagine,
That [even] being born (sems) in the worlds of hells, animals, and lords of death, suffering much
And suffering hardship because of powerlessness of desires,
He does not fail in the pursuit of enlightenment.
Iron-stick mutilations, mortifications, shackles, and beatings,
Beheading, cutting off ears, limbs, and nose -
"I will endure all the suffering of this world!" - so thinking,
The bodhisattva abides in the paramitas of patience.
Through morality, the noble has a desire for peace,
And by abiding in the sphere of the activity of the ten powers, he does not exhaust his morality,
He follows the vows taken to help beings
And devotes the merit to enlightenment.
If pratyekabuddhas and arhats desire bodhi
And, by violating morals, by ignorance follow evil conduct,
Then even [if they] dedicate merit to the supreme rest of bodhi,
They will practice the paramita of diligence and morality [only] with respect to the objects of the senses.
[If] the pious arya has the qualities of enlightenment,
The essence (don) of these qualities is in the morality of the pious.
[If] the sustaining dharma loses the qualities of enlightenment.
It [is because of] a decline in morality - so says the highest of the teachers.
If a bodhisattva becomes involved in the five objects of the senses
And takes refuge in the Buddha, the dharma and the noble sangha,
Intending to become an omniscient buddha,
He must know that the wise practice the paramita of morality.
If one who follows the ten paths of virtuous deeds for millions of kalpas,
Beget the desire [to attain] the state of pratyekabuddha or arhat,
His morality will be defective and exhausted,
And this fall will greatly burden the generation of bodhichitta.
He who keeps morals devotes merit to the highest enlightenment,
Without breeding arrogance or boasting,
He renounces both personal desires and the desires of beings.
[Thus] the bodhisattva manifests the paramita of morality.
If the bodhisattva, following the path of the victorious one,
Thinks, "These beings are moral and these are immoral,"
Then, involving himself in the notion of multiplicity, he loses his morality,
It is exhausted, and this is not pure morality.
[If] one does not [fixate] on the concepts of "I" and "others,
In freedom from attachment to concepts, where does not following vows (sdom min) come from?
Not [to be] proud of the presence or absence of vows.
Here is the vow of morality, so says the highest of the teachers.
Every pure being is also a moral being,
Not holding views about pleasant and unpleasant things,
Giving up head and limbs without regret,
Not clinging to property, [to anything] never attached.
Perceiving phenomena devoid of their own nature and inseparable
He gives up his flesh without regret,
And external things all the more,
And if greed arises, does not become involved in it.
Attachment to personal things [is born] from clinging to the self,
[But also] it makes no sense [to simply] give [things] to fools.
The greedy is reborn as a preta,
And even if born a man, will be very poor.
When a bodhisattva sees beings in need,
He sacrifices to them earnestly, It is always easy for him to give.
The ornate four continents [for him] are like the sludge of a spit,
But [the happiness of] offering [them] is not equal to the happiness of receiving [these] continents.
The wise bodhisattva, manifesting himself among the beings of the three worlds,
[practices] generosity toward them.
"May they be gifted!" - With such a thought committing the giving,
Dedicating merit to the highest enlightenment for the benefit of beings.
Not fixating on the things to be given
And never waiting for [karma] to ripen -
This is how the wise one gives away everything,
Not judging whether he has given little or much.
[If] all beings in the three worlds without exception
By the power of imagination
To the worlds-knowing buddhas, arhats and pratyekabuddhas
Will endlessly make offerings, belonging to the shravakas,
That experienced bodhisattva, versed in the methods,
Rejoicing in all their merits
And making dedication of merit to the highest enlightenment for the benefit of beings,
[By this] dedication shall surpass all [these] beings.
A whole heap of glass bracelets
Nor can a single precious beryl be compared to it.
So also the extensive offering of all beings
Nor does the bodhisattva's pleasures compare.
If a bodhisattva makes an offering to beings
Without a sense of "I" and "mine" and without regret for things,
By so doing, the root of virtue multiplies extensively,
Like the luminous moon in the cloudless [sky] in the full moon.
The bodhisattva with generosity cuts off [the path] to the birth of the preta
And removes all the suffering of poverty.
In [such] conduct he attains infinite riches
And by generosity he leads beings subject to suffering to full maturity.
By morality he removes the cause of birth to animals
And eight unfavorable conditions, always gaining peace.
By patience he attains a beautiful excellent body
Of golden color, pleasing to the eye of creatures.
Through diligence his good qualities are not exhausted,
And before him opens the treasury of the infinite wisdom of the Victorious.
By meditation (dhyana) he discards contemptible lust,
And in samadhi realizes vision and clairvoyance.
The Prajney realizes the nature of phenomena
And fully transcends the three worlds.
[So] the supreme leader of men, turning the precious wheel,
Appears to beings the dharma for the exhaustion of suffering.
Bringing this dharma to perfection, the bodhisattva
Supporting pure lands and pure beings,
Supporting the lineage of buddhas' succession and dharma transmission,
Also upholds the lineage of sangha and all dharmas.
Who has become the supreme healer, treating for the benefit of beings,
Holder of the teachings of wisdom and the bodhi path, thus narrated.
The path of bodhi [otherwise] is called the gathering of the precious and qualities,
[And here] is explained how beings can attain this path.
The gatha on the gathering of the precious qualities of the noble Prajnaparamita is finished.
Translated and verified by the Indian Upadhyaya (khenpo) Vidyakarasiddha and by the Tibetan Lotsava Bendhe Palzeg.
Translation from Tibetan and Sanskrit: Karma Gendun Chopel