Notes

n.1This part of the text has been translated and discussed by Diana Paul (1979). Paul also points out a similar episode in The Teaching of Vimalakīrti (Vimalakīrti­nirdeśa, Toh 176), 6.12–6.43, where Śāriputra challenges a goddess for the same reasons and is soundly defeated.

n.2For English translations of Toh 154 and Toh 155, see Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans. The Questions of the Nāga King Sāgara (2) , 2020; and Sakya Pandita Translation Group, trans. The Questions of the Nāga King Sāgara (3) , 2011.

n.3佛說海龍王經 (Foshuo hailong wang jing).

n.4Denkarma, folio 297.a.6. See also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, page 55, number 96.

n.5Phangthangma, page 7.

n.6For references, see Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, page 55, number 96.

n.7Ratna­karaṇḍodghāṭa­nāma­madhyamakopadeśa, (Tib. dbu ma’i man ngag rin po che’i za ma tog kha phye ba, Toh 3930). For a recent translation of this text, see Apple (2019).

n.8The sūtra is cited to this effect in Rangjung Dorjé’s zab mo nang gi don rnam par bshad pa’i bstan bcos kyi tshig don gsal bar byed pa’i legs bshad nor bu rin po che’i phreng ba and Gorampa Sönam Sengé’s sdom gsum rab dbye’i spyi don yid bzhin nor bu.

n.9See the reference in n.­1.

n.10This is the second time that this name appears in this list.

n.11This is the second time that this name appears in this list.

n.12Here the text mentions two specific instruments, sil snyan (tūrya) and pheg rdob pa (tāḍāvacara). The exact referents of these two terms are difficult to identify with certainty, though the former is often translated as “cymbal" and the latter as “small drum,” “tabor,” or “cymbal.”

n.13khyod kyis reads as khyod kyi in the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.14dang ba reads as dga’ ba in the Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs, as it also does in the following parallel usage.

n.15cho ga ma ’tshal ba reads as chog ma ’tshal ba in the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.16A Sanskrit version of this section, with some notable differences, appears in the Śikṣāsamuccaya . This seems to be the only citation from this sūtra that appears there. The citation appears on the GRETIL platform as follows: uktaṃ ca ārya­bṛhat­sāgara­nāga­rāja­paripṛcchāyāṃ | [It is also said in the noble extended Questions of the Nāga King Sāgara:] aṣṭābhir bhujagādhipate dharmaiḥ samanvāgatā bodhisatvāḥ satatasamitaṃ buddha­samavadhānaṃ pratilabhante | katamair aṣṭābhiḥ | buddha­bimba­darśana­satvasamādāpanatayā | tathāgatasya upasthāna­karaṇatayā | tathāgatasya abhīkṣṇaṃ varṇa­bhāṣaṇatayā | tathāgata­pratimākaraṇatayā | tathāgata­darśa­nasarva­satva­samādāpanatayā | yatra ca buddha­kṣetre tathāgata­śravaṃ śṛṇvanti tatra praṇidhānam utpādayanti | na ca avalīnasaṃtatayo bhavanti | udārasaṃtatikāś ca buddhajñānam abhilaṣante iti ||. “Nāga Lord, bodhisattvas endowed with eight qualities always obtain encounters with buddhas. What are these eight? They are encouraging beings to behold images of buddhas, serving the Thus-Gone One, constantly praising the Thus-Gone One, making images of the Thus-Gone One, having all beings behold the Thus-Gone One, making an aspiration to be born in whichever buddha realm one hears that a buddha is dwelling, not being discouraged, and being oriented toward the vast and wishing to attain the wisdom of awakening.”

n.17The three parts refer to the tripartite offering of homage, confession, and the dedication of merit, as outlined in the Triskandhaka­sūtra (Toh 284).

n.18kun tu rmongs pa mang ba reads as kun tu rmongs pa med pa in the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.19mngon par ’du byed pa med pa yang mi ltung la reads as mngon par ’du byed par yang mi ltung la in the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.20Note that spyod par byed la reads as dpyod par byed la in the Stok Palace Kangyur. We follow the reading in the Degé phar phud edition.

n.21Note that zad par byed pa reads as zad par mi byed pa in the Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, and Lhasa Kangyurs. We have retained the former reading as attested in the Degé phar phud edition.

n.22kyi reads as kyis in the Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, and Lhasa Kangyurs.

n.23yongs su rtog pas byas pa reads as yongs su rtog pas byas pas according to the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.24na reads as no in the Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, Urga, and Lhasa Kangyurs. Also found in the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.25btsal reads as bsal in the Narthang and Lhasa Kangyurs. Note that the Yongle, Kangxi, and Choné Kangyurs all read gsal.

n.26na reads as la in the Stok Palace Kangyur.

n.27mtshams sbyor ba’i tshig. Translation tentative.

n.28spyi’u tshugs dang ’thun pa’i gtam. Translation tentative.

n.29’thun dang mi ’thun pa’i gtam. Translation tentative.

n.30Note that the Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs read dben instead of bden.

n.31chos thams cad kyi sa reads as chos thams cad sa in the Urga Kangyur.

n.32rtogs reads as rtog in Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs.

n.33bsgras pa reads as bsgres pa in the Yongle, Kangxi, Lithang, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyurs.

n.34Tib. sbyor ’byor. Translation tentative.

n.35The translation of this verse is tentative. Tib. gzungs ni chos nyid ’gal ba ma yin la/ de ni chos la’ang zhi ba ma yin te/ chos dang shin tu mi mtshungs mi mnyam mnyam/ chos nyid sbyor dang ldan phyir gzod nas zhi. Though we have not opted for this reading, the Stok Palace edition reads slightly differently: gzungs ni chos nyid ’gal ba ma yin la/ de ni chos la zhi ba’ang ma yin te/ chos dang shin tu mi mtshungs mi mnyam mnyam/ chos nyid sbyor dang ldan phyir bzod nas zhi.

n.36nga reads as da in the Narthang, Urga, and Lhasa Kangyurs.

n.37las reads as lags in the Yongle and Kangxi Kangyurs.

n.38Reading gzhan instead of bzhin in the Yongle and Kangxi Kangyurs.

n.39This refers to the absence of the threefold nexus of subject, object, and act.

n.40In this instance, the world is just called “Pure,” though in the next instance it is called “Pure View.”

n.41sgo reads as sgra in the Narthang and Lhasa Kangyurs as well as in the following parallel usage.

n.42rgyud reads as rgyur in the Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, and Choné Kangyurs.

n.43nams reads as nam in the Lhasa Kangyur.