Library - Kangyur - Prajna-paramita

ārya-sv-alpa-akṣara-prajñā-pāramitā-nāma-mahāyāna-sūtra

The Noble [sutra]. The Sutra of the Great Chariot. Prajña-paramita "A few words".

    Praise be to all the Enlightened ones and bodhisattvas!

    So I heard once.
    The Blessed One was staying in Rajagriha at the peak of the Grif Assembly with a great blissful assembly of twelve hundred and fifty monks and many millions of hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas. They were surrounded on all sides by millions of hundreds of thousands of gods, such as the mighty Indra, Brahma, the guardians of the world, etc. [Surrounding all,] they stood looking up to [the Blessed One] who was on the lion's throne of the heart-essence of glory.
    Then the bodhisattva-mahasattva, the Noble Avalokiteshvara rose from his seat and with his shoulder exposed, touched the ground with his right knee to show reverence. Showing reverence and folding his palms respectfully toward the Blessed One [said]:
    I make a request to the Blessed One!
    Blessed One! Great is the spiritual merit of the Perfection of Wisdom in a few words! Only by hearing it, living beings will be purified of all the veils of deeds-karma and will definitely attain enlightenment. By diligently practicing the appropriate mantra, they will manifest the realization of the mantra when there is no obstacle to anything. Please clarify [this teaching]!
    Then the Blessed One approved of what bodhisattva-mahasattva Avalokiteshvara said:
    Son of the [noble] family! You have been diligent for a long time for the benefit of living beings! Good! Good!
    Therefore, son of the [noble] family, listen very well and be attentive! All sentient beings who only hear the Perfection of Wisdom from a few words that possess great spiritual merit will purify all veils of deeds-karma, will definitely head toward enlightenment, will be diligent in the practice of the secret mantra. They will unhamperedly accomplish [thereby attaining the realization of] the mantra! So I explain to you!
    Then the bodhisattva-mahasattva, the noble Avalokiteshvara, said to the Blessed One:
    Please explain [what is] the medicine for all living beings!
    Then the Blessed One plunged into equilibrium at this time in deep concentration called "Liberation of all sentient beings". Through this meditative immersion, myriads of myriad rays of light arose from the bundle of hair in the interbrow. These rays of light encompassed all the fields of the Enlightened. These rays of light came into contact with all living beings. And all these living beings, from the hells upward, attained unsurpassed, true, perfect enlightenment. Even all the field-countries of the Enlightened were shaken in six aspects. To the feet of the Tathagata also fell the rain of the sandal powder of the gods.
    Then at this time the Blessed One proclaimed this Perfection of Wisdom.
    The Bodhisattva [should] act with a mind in balance, a loving mind, patience in action, with a mind free from all pernicious things. This heart-essence of Wisdom Perfection must be realized!
    I praise the Tathagata, the arhat, the truly perfect Enlightened One, Shakyamuni!

    tadyathā oṁ mune mune mahā munaye svāhā

    Because I, having thus discovered this Perfection of Wisdom, have attained unsurpassed, true, perfect enlightenment. From this [Perfection of Wisdom] also all the Enlightened appeared.
    Because you acquired the essence of this from the Tathagata, the great Shakyamuni, you became the highest among the bodhisattva-mahasattvas. You will become known as the Tathagata, the arhat, the truly perfect Enlightened Rashmisamudgata Shrikuta Raja. This is the prediction of the Enlightened One. All who hear your name will memorize it, read it, explain it extensively to others, write it down in collections of volumes - they will make offerings in this way. All of them will become Tathagats in the future.

    tadyathā jaya jaya padma abhe avame sara saraṇi dhiri dhiri dhiri dhiri devata anupālane buddha uttaraṇi pūraya bhagavati sarvāśa maśama sarva satvānāṁ sarva karma avaraṇa viśodhaya buddha adhiṣṭhānen svāhā

    This Perfection of Wisdom as absolute [truth] - begets all the Enlightened! The mother of the bodhisattvas that quickly eliminates the pernicious, bestows enlightenment. Even all the enlightened for hundreds of millions of ages cannot express the qualities of this [Perfection of Wisdom]. Reading this - one becomes initiated into all mandalas, and even all mantras become manifestly [realized].
    Then the bodhisattva-mahasattva, the noble lord Avalokiteshwara said to the Blessed One:
    Blessed One! For what purpose is this "Perfection of Wisdom" [proclaimed]?
    The Blessed One replied:
    Because the method is easy, all living beings who possess little virtue and intelligence will hold [in memory] the Perfection of Wisdom, read, write down these notes, and immerse themselves [in the essence] of these lines - all of them, because of the ease of the method, will be strengthened in enlightenment. Therefore, this [teaching] is called "Perfection of Wisdom."
    Said so, and the bodhisattva-mahasattva, the noble lord Avalokiteshvara said to the Blessed One:
    The Blessed One so [proclaimed] this enumeration of teachings for the sake of happiness and cure, as medicine for all sentient beings, essence for sentient beings with little merit.
    Blessed One! Wonderful!
    Sugata! Wonderful!
    The Blessed One said so, and the bodhisattva-mahasattva, the noble lord Avalokiteshvara, all the bhikshus, all the bodhisattvas together with the gods, humans, asuras and gandharvas - rejoiced and praised what the Blessed One had said.
    Thus concludes the Noble [teaching], the sutra of the Great Chariot, the Perfection of Wisdom - "Several Words".
    Translated by Lama Karma Paljor (O. Filippov).