Notes

n.1The usual formulation of these qualities comprises a pair of terms, one of which describes what qualities are positively present and the other what negative attributes have been eliminated. While the second of the two elements‍—the quality of being rid of hindrances‍—is summarized throughout by the term “liberated” (grol), the terminology used for the first element‍—summarizing the positive attributes‍—evolves as the text unfolds. In the first few chapters we see mentions of “having knowledge and being liberated” (rig pa dang grol ba). In the fourth, fifth, and seventh chapters the equivalent becomes being “coherent and liberated” (rigs pa dang grol ba). In the ninth chapter, the terms used are “equipped and liberated” (ldan pa dang grol ba). It is noteworthy that the term for “coherent and liberated” (yuktamukta, rigs pa dang grol ba) is also used in the canonical literature (in the Vinayavibhaṅgha (Toh 3), Vinayottaragrantha (Toh 7a), several Vinaya commentaries, and some sūtras) as a description of the necessary qualities of the inspired eloquence (pratibhāna, spobs pa) of those qualified to give teachings; in this regard see, for example, Upholding the Roots of Virtue (Toh 101), n.­73.

n.2In this catalog, Repudiating Those Who Violate the Discipline is included among the “Miscellaneous Sūtras” (Tib. mdo sde sna tshogs) less than ten sections (Tib. bam po) long. Denkarma F.297.a; see also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 53, no. 92.

n.3Fo cang jing 佛藏經 (Buddha­piṭakaduḥ­śīlanigraha), Taishō 653 (CBETA; SAT).

n.4Tsui 2010, p. 130.

n.5Chen 2014, pp. 178–79. Here Chung-hui Tsui tells us that this work was inscribed by Fan Hai, who was the court scribe during that period, and is dated 457 ᴄᴇ. The postscript of this sūtra provides noteworthy details, such as the quantity of paper used, the time when proofreading was completed, the name of the sūtra and its scroll number, and the shrine or temple owner. It also identifies the patron of the sūtra as the king Juqu Anzhou (d. 460), who devoted himself to promoting Buddhism in China.

n.6The Denkarma (Tib. ldan dkar ma) catalog includes Toh 123 among the discourses translated from Chinese (Denkarma, F.300.a; Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 138, no. 255). Toh 123 also lacks the standard colophon that usually follows Tibetan translations from the Sanskrit. Additionally, this text contains specific vocabulary (discussed at length in Rolf Stein’s Tibetica Antiqua, pp. 1–85) indicating that it was translated from the Chinese. See also Silk 2018, p. 234.

n.7In the Degé Kangyur, Toh 220 spans 154 folios, while Toh 123 spans 119.

n.8Thompson 1994, p. 171.

n.9Silk 1994, pp. 158–62.

n.10McCombs 2014, pp. 65–66.

n.11Morell 1994, pp. 141, 194, 249.

n.12Adamek 2011, pp. 215–16.

n.13Translated based on the Stok, Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa editions: ’ur sgra. Degé reads: ’ud sgra.

n.14From this point onward in the text this repeated phrase is explicitly abridged by omitting what follows down to and including “cannot be pointed out,” with the instruction (to the reader) that it should be expanded as before. For ease of reading, we have chosen to provide the full sentence for each occurrence.

n.15The Yongle, Lithang, Narthang, Choné, Lhasa, and Stok editions read: gnon (“oppressing”).

n.16Translated based on the Stok, Yongle, Peking, and Choné editions: ’jigs pa ma yin pa med pa. The Degé Kangyur reads ’jig pa ma yin pa med pa (“it is without nondisintegration”).

n.17The two terms that are used here are both commonly translated as “person” in English, but they have been rendered here as “primordial man” (Skt. puruṣa, Tib. skyes bu) and “person” (Skt. pudgala, Tib. gang zag). In this case, the term skyes bu translates the Sanskrit term puruṣa or “cosmic man” of the renowned Rig Veda 10.90 and, by extension, the inactive ultimate being of the Sāṁkhya, while the term gang zag translates the Sanskrit term pudgala, which refers to the “person” at the level of the individual.

n.18The Tibetan brtan pa here could simply mean “fixed” or “stable” but, following as it does just after the two preceding terms, may also refer to the polestar (Skt. dhruva), mythologically personified as the son of Uttānapāda and thus grandson of Manu. Compare with the same Tibetan term, rendered “stability,” in the list at 5.­53 where it appears instead flanked by rtag pa (“permanence”) and ther zug (“eternality”).

n.19Here, presumably, with the meaning of a being disembodied after death and seeking rebirth.

n.20This rendering is somewhat speculatively based on the reading in the Degé Kangyur, tshangs par spyad pa’i tha snyad, which is also the reading in the Lhasa, Dodedrak, and Urga Kangyurs. The Stok Palace, Shey, Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, and Choné Kangyurs instead read tshangs par spyad pa’i tha chad (“improper pure conduct”), which superficially might seem a more likely reading but is not quite in line with the theme of this passage. The Phugdrak Kangyur reads: tshangs par spyad pa’i mtha’ chad pa (“lowliest of pure conduct”).

n.21This is an abbreviated reference to a statement widespread in the canonical literature about arhats “regarding gold as no different than filth and the palm of the hand as like space itself.”

n.22Translated following the Degé, Lhasa, Urga, Stok Palace, and Shey Kangyurs, which all read bzhi po here. The Narthang, Yongle, Lithang, Kanxi, and Choné Kangyurs instead have gzhi po, which could possibly be interpreted as “basis” or “substratum.”

n.23Translated according to the reading chos zhes bya ba’i tha snyad in the Stok Palace, Shey, Narthang, and Lhasa Kangyurs. Degé and most Kangyurs read chos shes bya ba’i tha snyad …, which seems less likely; the sentence would then be translated, “The noble ones even deny that it is a correctly designated convention to designate phenomena that are objects of knowledge.”

n.24Aside from the list of musical instruments, we have translated the Tibetan word sgra as “terms” in this paragraph.

n.25Tentative translation. Tib. dpe chad pa. This obscure turn of phrase does not appear to occur anywhere else in the Kangyur. It has been rendered literally here in spite of the fact that the literal meaning makes little sense in context. Plausible alternatives are difficult to discern.

n.26Tib. ma byas pa, usually shorthand for the notion that what one experiences is not the karmic result of past actions.

n.27Tentative translation. Tib. shA ri’i bu de bzhin gshegs pas sangs rgyas rjes su dran pa’i chos bstan pa la yang sangs rgyas bcom ldan ’das rnams kyis kyang rjes su dran par mi spyod do. This reading is consistent across the Tshalpa and Thempangma recensions of the Kangyur. However, this line breaks the pattern established in the section, and has been emended here by reading the phrase sangs rgyas bcom ldan ’das kyis as *sangs rgyas bcom ldan ’das kyi.

n.28Tib. dge sbyong chu skyar. The Sanskrit term baka, rendered here in Tibetan as chu skyar, literally means “stork” or “crane.” The stork, crane, and other birds like it evoke a sense of cheating, hypocrisy, and cunning deceit in Sanskrit literature, most likely due to the cunning and stealth with which they hunt their food.

n.29Tentative translation. The Degé and Stok editions read chos gos mi gtsang ba’i dgon pa dang ldan pa yin no.

n.30Tib. chos dang ’thun pas. It is also possible to read this phrase as “legally” or “according to the law,” and that it refers to Buddhists being legally prohibited from teaching.

n.31Translated based on the Stok, Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa editions: ngas. Degé reads: des.

n.32The phrase “scatters flies” has been added to the English translation for the sake of clarity.

n.33Translated based on the Stok edition: dpang du gyur pa yin. Degé reads: dbang du gyur pa yin (“overpowered”).

n.34Translated based on the Stok, Lithang, Peking, and Narthang editions: btsam pa med pa. Degé reads: rtsam pa med pa.

n.35Tentative translation. Tib. dge sbyongs du khas ’tshe ba.

n.36Translated based on the Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa editions: ’dod pa rnams la log par spyod pa. The Degé and Stok editions read: ’dod pa rnams la log par mi spyod pa (“who does not engage in sexual misconduct”).

n.37Tentative translation. Tib. zhi ba don med par spyod pa.

n.38Tentative translation. Tib. de la skyes bu dam pa ma yin pa la rjes su ma gnang ba de lta bu gang ci yang rung mchil ma dor ba tsam de thams cad kyang dad pas byin pa yin no.

n.39Tentative translation. The Degé and Stok editions read: dkyogs. The Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa editions read: bkyogs. This translation amends the verb to bklags.

n.40Translated based on the Stok edition: brang sa.

n.41Tentative translation. Tib. bdag dang gnyis kyis.

n.42Tib. nges par ’byung ba. According to the previous list, this probably refers to the monk Apprehending Origination (Tib. ’byung par dmigs pa).

n.43Translated according to the reading in most Kangyurs: rigs pa. Lhasa, however, has rig pa, “knowledge,” which would be more in line with the usual characterization of the saṅgha as rig pa dang grol ba, “[having] knowledge and liberation” as in 4.­10, 4.­33, and 7.­13.

n.44The six non-Buddhist teachers are Purāna Kāśyapa, Māskārin Gośāliputra, Saṃjāyin Vairaṭiputra, Kakuda Kātyāyana, Ajita Keśakambala, and Nirgrantha Jñātiputra.

n.45See n.­43.

n.46Tentative translation. It is not quite clear to us who this being called Constant Generosity might be, although it appears to refer to the Buddha himself. Tib. thams cad rtag tu sbyin zhes bya bas dge ba ci yin zhes tshol ba na.

n.47Reading Stok Palace ldan pa instead of Degé bden pa

n.48We have been unable to identify this element in this list: phu gu pa.

n.49Tentative translation. Tib. kha dog gi rigs rnam pa sna tshogs.

n.50Tentative translation. Tib. sor bzhir rtog pa.

n.51Tentative translation. Tib. ’du ’dzi las skyes pa. This compound is likely synonymous with the compound ’du ’dzi la dga’ ba (Skt. saṅgaṇikārāma).

n.52Translated based on the Stok edition: rma rlon. Degé reads: rma klan.

n.53Translation based on the Stok Palace and Yongle Kangyur readingss: ldan pa. Degé reads: bden pa (“true”).

n.54Translation based on the Stok Palace Kangyur reading: ldan pa. Degé reads: bden pa (“true”).

n.55Only eleven of the “twelve branches of Buddhist scripture” are enumerated here. “Extensive teachings” (Skt. vaipulya; Tib. shin tu rgyas pa'i sde) is missing.

n.56Tentative translation. Tib. gang gi phyir bden pa’i yon tan ’di dag gsung ba ni de ltar ’gyur ba’i phyir ro.

n.57Tib. sha ri’i bu dper na. Here, the Tibetan reads “Śāriputra,” which must be a mistake.

n.58Tentative translation. Tib. bdag nyid chen pos dgon gnas dang/ gnas gsum zhal gyis bzhes mod kyi.

n.59Tentative translation.

n.60Tib. bud med lta bu’i ’dod rtsa.

n.61Translation based on the Stok Palace, Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa Kangyur readings: bud med. Degé reads: dug med.

n.62Translation based on the Stok Palace, Yongle, Lithang, Peking, Narthang, and Choné Kangyur readings: gsog. Degé reads: gsob.

n.63Above, this was called Higher Discernment of the Dharma.”

n.64Translation based on the Stok Palace Kangyur reading: rnam par thar pa. Degé reads: rnam par ’thag pa (“Victory”).