Notes

n.1The Sanskrit title as given in the Degé Kangyur version of the text is ārya­kauśika­prajñā­pāramitānāma, but the ending -nāma is grammatically incorrect. The Sanskrit title given above, āryakauśikaprajñāpāramitā, follows the grammatically correct form given in the Stok Palace Kangyur version of the sūtra. In the Central Asian Sanskrit manuscript, the title listed at the end is kauśaka­ nāma prajñā­pāramitā (Conze 1956, p. 118. See also Bianchini 2020, pp. 103-106). The inclusion of “nāma” in the title of the extant Sanskrit manuscript helps to explain why some Tibetan Kangyurs, such as the Degé Kangyur, likewise included “nāma” in the Sanskrit title (although at the end of the title), and accounted for this with “zhes bya ba” in the Tibetan title.

n.2In the Degé Kangyur, The Perfection of Wisdom “Kauśika” is placed in a final volume of miscellaneous Perfection of Wisdom scriptures (shes rab sna tshogs) as well as in the Action Tantra (bya ba’i rgyud) section.

n.3See, for example, Chapters 22–32 in Gareth Sparham, trans., The Perfection of Wisdom in Eighteen Thousand Lines, Toh 10 (2022). Chapters 22 and 25 are even explicitly named for Kauśika (under the name Śatakratu). In Padmakara Translation Group, trans., The Perfection of Wisdom in Twenty-Five Thousand Lines, see chapters 14 et seq. and chapter 25.

n.4In producing this translation, we have not been able to study closely the textual and historical relationships between this sūtra and the two other texts. This is, however, a topic that merits further investigation.

n.5Denkarma, folio 295.a.6; see also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, pp. 8–9, no. 13. Phangthangma 2003, p. 4.

n.6The Sanskrit manuscript, which was discovered at Dunhuang, can be viewed online at the International Dunhuang Project under the sigla “IOL Khot S 3” and “Ch.0044.” In addition to the complete Sanskrit manuscript, two smaller fragments of the sūtra have been identified, both related to the sūtra's opening section. See Bianchini 2020, p. 104.

n.7Conze 1973, p. iv.

n.8Regarding the dating of the Sanskrit manuscript, Bianchini (2020, p. 105) notes that “Despite what might look to the uninitiated as some archaic features, it would appear that there is no ground to assume a date of creation prior to the 9th C.”

n.9Muller, Digital Dictionary of Buddhism, s.v. “Dānapāla 施護.”

n.10We have not, however, noted any such divergence with the Sanskrit, as we have included both an edition of the Sanskrit text and a full translation in the appendices to this translation.

n.11This clause is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.12This clause is absent in the Chinese translation. Our translation follows the Degé, which reads sbyor ba. The Stok Palace version reads sbyong ba (“neither cleansed nor not cleansed”).

n.13An additional clause, absent in the Tibetan, follows in the Chinese: “neither real nor unreal” (fei shi fei bu shi 非實非不實).

n.14An additional clause, absent in the Tibetan, follows in the Chinese: “neither having refuge nor not having refuge” (fei you suo gui fei wu suo gui 非有所歸非無所歸).

n.15The corresponding clause (“as suchness or nonsuchness”) is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.16The corresponding clause is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.17Tib. dben pa; Skt. vivikta. The Chinese version uses jijing 寂靜, which means “tranquility and calm.”

n.18The corresponding sentence is absent in the Chinese translation. In its place, the Chinese version has “[As] all phenomena are distinctive, the perfection of wisdom is distinctive” (yi qie fa fen bie, bore bo luo mi yi fen bie 一切法分別，般若波羅蜜亦分別).

n.19The corresponding sentence is absent in the Chinese, which has the alternative, “[As] all phenomena are fully realized, the perfection of wisdom is fully realized” (yi qie fa liao zhi, bo re bo luo mi yi liao zhi 一切法了知，般若波羅蜜亦了知).

n.20The Chinese here reads, “[As] all phenomena are [akin to] space-like conceptualization, the perfection of wisdom is [akin to] space-like conceptualization” (yi qie fa xu kong wang xiang, bo re bo luo mi yi xu kong wang xiang 一切法虛空妄想，般若波羅蜜亦虛空妄想).

n.21The corresponding sentence is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.22The corresponding sentence is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.23This refers to the substance called vajra (“adamant,” “diamond”) and not to the tantric implement of the same name.

n.24The corresponding sentence is absent in the Chinese translation. In its place, the Chinese version has “[As] all phenomena are indestructible, the perfection of wisdom is indestructible” (yi qie fa bu huai, bo re bo luo mi yi bu huai 一 切法不壞，般若波羅蜜亦不壞). Note that the substance called vajra mentioned in the previous line is considered indestructible.

n.25The Stok Palace version has gsal ba (“illuminate”) as opposed to bsal ba (“dispel”). The latter reading, that within the perfection of wisdom there is nothing whatsoever to dispel, corresponds well with the clause that follows, which states that within the perfection of wisdom there is nothing to undertake. Thus, the two clauses can be taken as a pair that expresses how, in the perfection of wisdom, nothing is to be negated or taken up. It is worth noting the ambiguity of the terms “dispel” and “undertake,” since it is not clear in what sense “dispel” and “undertake” are intended. They can refer to practices to be discarded or adopted, or to the negation or assertion of certain properties (such as the property of inherent existence). Our translation allows for either interpretation. The Chinese reads, “[As] all phenomena are equal in nature, the perfection of wisdom is equal in nature” (yi qie fa xing ping deng, bo re bo luo mi yi ping deng 一切法性平等，般若波羅蜜亦平等).

n.26Here byed pa med pa may be rendered as “actionless,” but we chose to interpret it as lacking anything to undertake, as a counterpoint to the previous sentence. Thus, just as there is nothing to be dispelled, so is there nothing to be undertaken in relation to both all phenomena and the perfection of wisdom. The Chinese reads, “[As] all phenomena have no nature, the perfection of wisdom has no nature” (yi qie fa wu xing, bo re bo luo mi yi wu xing 一切法無性，般若波羅蜜亦無性).

n.27The Chinese translation lists nine perfections in a slightly different order: giving (bushi 佈施), discipline (chijie 持戒), patience (renru 忍辱), effort (jingjin 精進), concentration (chanding 禪定), means (fangbian 方便), aspiration (yuan 願), power (li 力), and gnosis (zhi 智). The perfection of wisdom (shes rab, hui 慧) is absent in the Chinese.

n.28The Chinese version reads, “The three activities of speech, thought, and deed are pure; the perfection of wisdom is also pure. Therefore, the meaning of the perfection of wisdom is boundless” (san ye qing jing, bo re bo luo mi yi qing jing. ru shi bo re bo luo mi, qi yi wu bian 三業清淨，般若波羅蜜亦清淨。如是般若波羅蜜，其義無邊).

n.29The Chinese translation begins this next section with “Furthermore, Kauśika! [The perfection of wisdom] possesses eighteen emptinesses” (fu ci, jiao shi jia! Suo you shi ba kong 復次， 憍尸迦！所有十八空).

n.30The Chinese version adds here “unchanging emptiness” (wu bian yi kong 無變異空), which is absent in the Tibetan.

n.31The Chinese version has the alternative “emptiness without beginning” (wu shi kong 無始空) here.

n.32The corresponding clause is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.33The corresponding clause is found in the Chinese translation, but it is placed at the end of the list as the last emptiness.

n.34The Chinese version adds “emptiness of no characteristics” (wu xiang kong 無相空) here.

n.35The corresponding clause is absent in the Chinese translation.

n.36This list is slightly different in the Chinese version. The eighteen emptinesses are, in the order of appearance, internal emptiness (nei kong 內空), external emptiness (wai kong 外空), internal and external emptiness (nei wai kong 內外空), emptiness of emptiness (kong kong 空空), great emptiness (da kong 大空), ultimate emptiness (sheng yi kong 勝義空), emptiness of conditioned phenomena (you wei kong 有為空), emptiness of unconditioned phenomena (wo wei kong 無為空), emptiness of transcending extremes (wu ji kong 無際空), unchanging emptiness (wu bian yi kong 無變異空), emptiness without beginning (wu shi kong 無始空), emptiness of inherent nature (ben xing kong 本性空), emptiness of self-characteristics (zi xiang kong 自相空), emptiness of no characteristics (wu xiang kong 無相空), emptiness of nonexistence (wu xing kong 無性空), emptiness of essential nature (zi xing kong 自性空), emptiness of the essential nature of nonexistence (wu xing zi xing kong 無性自性空), and emptiness of all phenomena (yi qie fa kong一切法空).

n.37This sentence is absent in the Chinese translation. In its place, the Chinese reads, “The verse says…” (song yue 頌曰).

n.38The Chinese version has a slightly different order. It reads, “Like a star, a lamp, a cataract, a dream, an illusion, a bubble, and a dew drop; like lightning as well as a cloud” (ru xing ru deng, yi meng, huan ji pao, lu, ru dian yi ru yun 如星如燈、翳， 夢、幻及泡、露，如電亦如雲).

n.39This is the verse that concludes the Buddha’s discourse in The Diamond Cutter Sūtra (Vajracchedikā, Toh 16, folio 132.b). The Chinese version indicates that this verse was spoken by “I” (wo jin lüe shuo ci 我今略說此), presumably the Buddha, considering that the conclusion of the text says “The Blessed One has spoken” (shi zun shuo ci jing yi 世尊說此經已).

n.40This mantra is included in the Tibetan version and also, albeit in a modified form, in the Sanskrit version, but not in the extant Chinese. In its place, the Chinese reads, “I now have briefly spoken about this perfection of wisdom” (wo jin lüe shuoci, bo re bo luo mi 我今略說此, 般若波羅蜜).

n.41The Sanskrit of these two verses matches the opening verses of homage in Nāgārjuna’s Fundamental Treatise on the Middle Way (Mūla­madhyamaka­kārikā, Toh 3824, folio 1.b). This suggests that the differences between this Tibetan translation of these verses and the canonical Tibetan translation of Nāgārjuna’s text reflect alternate translations of the same Sanskrit text. The Chinese translation adds a few lines here not found in the Tibetan. They read, “Thus, this is the teaching of supreme perfect awakening that ceases and pacifies the twelve links of dependent arising. Have reverent faith in the supreme guru. Take refuge in the buddhas of the ten directions of the past, present, and future, the Three Jewels, and the perfections. With an ocean of unlimited merit, make offerings to the various tathāgatas, who hold the true secret [teachings] of the Great Illumination” (ru shi shi er yuan, zhi xi ling ji jing, zheng deng zheng deng jue shuo. Gong xin zui shunag zhi, gui yi shi fang fo, guo xian ji wei lai, san bao bo luo mi, wu liang gong de hai, gong yang zhu ru lai, da ming zhen mi mi 如是十二緣， 止息令寂靜，正等正覺說。 恭信最上師，歸依十方佛， 過現及未來，三寶波羅蜜。 無量功德海，供養諸如來， 大明真祕密。).

n.42In the Sanskrit and Chinese translations, the mantras begin here. See appendices I and II.

n.43Śāriputra is absent in the Chinese version.

n.44The Chinese version contains a slightly different list here. It reads, “Sovereign Śakra, lord of the gods, various bodhisattvas, gods, humans, gandharvas, and asuras” (di shi tian zhuji zhu pus a mo he sa, tian, ren, gan ta po, a xiu luo deng 帝釋天主及諸菩薩摩訶薩、天、人、乾闥婆、阿修羅等).

n.45The Chinese translation has “all rejoiced upon hearing what the Buddha had taught and heartily took refuge in his teaching and promised to practice it” (yi qie ren zhong, wen fo suo shuo, jie da huan xi, zin shou feng xing一切大眾，聞佛所說，皆大歡喜，信受奉行).

n.46Reading Vaidya’s (ana)pakāra˚ as the standard anavakāra˚.

n.47Following the Tibetan interpretation of the compound abhāvasvabhāva as a tatpuruṣa: dngos po med pa’i ngo bo nyid.

n.48Reading siddhyamane as sidhyamāne. “Now being accomplished” possibly implies that the perfection of wisdom is being accomplished while the mantra is recited.

n.49Reading (bha)ktivatsale as (bha)ktavatsale.

n.50This implies being on standby to afford protection.

n.51As this mantra and those that follow are rather obscure and possibly corrupt, our translation is tentative. Possibly these mantras have been interpolated from various texts and included here simply because they are mantras of the perfection of wisdom.

n.52This mantra was read as if the middle part were a single compound: oṁ hrīśrīdhī­śruti­smṛtimatigativijaye svāhā.

n.53Here orolik has been amended to ārolik (one of the names of Amitābha). It is not clear how Amitābha is associated with the perfection of wisdom.

n.54Gata can also have the sense of “belonging to,” so the mantra can be understood as “O awakening! You belong to the other shore…” and so on.