Notes

n.1Harrison and Hartmann (1998, p. 68) describe this text as “Perhaps the most sophisticated and evolved of the Mahāyāna sūtras translated into Chinese by the Indo-Scythian master [Lokakṣema].”

n.2Harrison and Hartmann (1998, 2000, and 2002) have published several brief articles on the Sanskrit fragments contained in the Schøyen collection. More recently, Miyazaki has published two brief articles in English on this sūtra (2008 and 2013). Most significantly, for those who read Japanese, Miyazaki has published his doctoral thesis on this sūtra (2012) as well as several Japanese translations of individual parts of this text.

n.3On these fragments, see Harrison and Hartmann 1998, 2000, and 2002.

n.4For an example of this, see Harrison and Hartmann 2000, p. 168, no. 4.

n.5For details, see Harrison and Hartmann 1998, pp. 67–68.

n.6Taishō 626, A she shi wang jing 阿闍世王經.

n.7An English translation of Lokakṣema's Chinese translation has been self-published by Shaku Shingan (2022).

n.8Taishō 627, Wen shu zhi li pu chao san mei jing 文殊支利普超三昧經.

n.9Taishō 628, Wei ceng you zheng fa jing 未曾有正法經.

n.10According to Harrison and Hartmann (2000, p. 168) this translation “is best regarded as a free adaptation of the text, rather than a straight translation of an Indic original.”

n.11Taishō 629, Fang bo jing 放鉢經.

n.12Harrison and Hartmann 2000, p. 168.

n.13Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 140, no. 257. The Denkarma catalog is dated to c. 812 ᴄᴇ.

n.14Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 140, n. 232.

n.15The Tabo Kangyur lists Śākyaprabha and Ratnarakṣita as the editors.

n.16For more on the possibility that the Tibetan was translated from a Chinese source, see Silk 2020, p. 240.

n.17Stok: “they are worthy ones.”

n.18Translation tentative. Tibetan: bstan na mthun len pa.

n.19Stok: “they behold certainty.”

n.20Stok: “Sublime beings are protectors for worldly beings.”

n.21kyi read as kyis according to Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa.

n.22pa’i read as pa according to Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, and Lhasa.

n.23Translated based on Stok: mo da ka. Degé: mod ka.

n.24Translated based on Stok: ’bras chan. Degé: ’bras can.

n.25Translated based on Stok: ’chad pa. Degé: ’tshal ba.

n.26Stok: mos par gyur pa. Degé: mos par ’gyur pa.

n.27Translation tentative. Degé: bgyis shing mchod par ’tshal te. Stok: bgyis shing mchod pas ’tshal te.

n.28The bodhisattvas and hearers were served in order of seniority, with the young ones being served last.

n.29ni read as kyi according to Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, and Choné.

n.30sems read as sems can according to Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa.

n.31Translated based on Stok: las. Degé: la.

n.32Stok: dang. Degé: dad.

n.33Here and below “immediacy” translates the same term as “immediate results” (mtshams med pa). The same term with these two meanings is used in a play on words.

n.34ja gong read as ja hong according to Kangxi and Lhasa.

n.35Tib. mi g.yo ba. The attested Sanskrit reads ākhyātāvī, which is an odd and otherwise unattested Sanskrit term that does not align with the Tibetan translation. As noted by Harrison and Hartmann (2000, p. 209 note 113), the Chinese terms used in Taishō 626 and 627 are also not equivalent to ākhyātāvī. The Chinese of Taishō 627 agrees with the Tibetan mi g.yo ba.

n.36Translation tentative. Tibetan: der ni bcom ldan ’das kyis dgongs par bgyi mi ’tshal lo.

n.37This name is translated based on Stok: bstan bzang ba. Degé: bltan bzang.