Notes

n.1Hoernle 1916, pp. 121–25.

n.2Roberts, Peter Alan. trans., The White Lotus of Compassion , Toh 112 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018).

n.3Roberts, Peter Alan. trans., The King of Samādhis Sūtra , Toh 127 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2018).

n.4See Mahamegha Translation Team, trans. The Great Cloud (1) , Toh 232.

n.5Denkarma, folio 297.b; note that the title in the Denkarma is ’phags pa ’dus pa chen po’i sde nyi ma’i snying po The Denkarma is dated to c. 812 ᴄᴇ. In this catalog, The Quintessence of the Sun is included among the “Miscellaneous Mahāyāna Sūtras” (theg pa chen po’i mdo sde sna tshogs) with a length of thirteen sections (bam po). See also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 46, no. 81.

n.6Ed. Bhikkhu Pāsādika 1989, pp. 79–82.

n.7Cutler 2002, pp. 231–32 and 253.

n.8Lévi 1905, pp. 256–58; Lévi 1904, pp. 546–47 and 565.

n.9Kotyk 2017, pp. 58–64; Mak 2015, pp. 64–66.

n.10Silk 2008, p. 34.

n.11Braarvig 1993, pp. xxv–xli. For a translation of this sūtra, see Jens Braarvig and David Welsh, trans., The Teaching of Akṣayamati , Toh 175 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020).

n.12Braarvig 1993, p. xxv.

n.13Notably, the Mahāsannipāta collection is mentioned in the sūtras themselves, and the introductions of those texts are almost identical (Braarvig 1993, pp. xxxix–xl).

n.14Braarvig 1993, pp. xxxiii–xxxvii.

n.15Several scholars support this hypothesis. For example, Braarvig (1993, p. xxxvi) mentions that some of the passages of The Quintessence of the Sun suggest a Central Asian origin, and Dan Martin (2001, p. 38) speaks of texts translated into Chinese by Narendrayaśas that belong to the Mahāsannipāta section of the Kangyur but may never have existed in an Indian language. See also Demiéville (1973, p. 196) and Nakamura (1980, p. 216) for Japanese literary references on the subject.

n.16Lévi 1904, p. 564; Lévi 1905, p. 286.

n.17Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Prophecy on Mount Gośṛṅga , Toh 237 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha), 2021. See i.4–i.10 for more information on Khotan and its relationship to Buddhist literature. Note that Chomden Rikpai Raltri (bcom ldan rigs pa’i ral gri) did not include The Quintessence of the Sun in his list of twenty canonical works believed to have been translated from Khotanese (see Toh 357, i.8 and n.11).

n.18The Candragarbhaparipṛcchā (The Questions of Candragarbha), and to a lesser degree The Quintessence of the Sun, are part of a wider group of texts that focus on the spread, duration, and decline of the Buddha’s teachings, and have sometimes been termed “prophecies of decline” or “prophetic histories.” For an account of the Buddhist “prophetic history” literature, see Nattier 1991.

n.19The day-to-night ratio of 18:12 on the summer solstice indicated in the text is only possible at a latitude of 35 degrees north, slightly north of modern-day Kashmir or Kabul (Mak 2015, pp. 65–66).

n.20Hoernle 1916, pp. 121–25.

n.21rkyen gyi byang chub. This is likely a reference to the awakening of a solitary buddha; see the glossary entry for “vehicle of conditions.”

n.22Translated based on Stok: bdag gis. Degé: dag gis.

n.23The text only lists eighteen undesirable consequences.

n.24Tentative translation based on Kangxi, Yongle, Lithang, Choné, and Narthang: ’phral g.yor can. Degé: ’phral gyar can.

n.25Translated based on Kangxi, Yongle, Lithang, Choné, and Narthang: mngon sum ’gyur du rnam par ’phel bar byed pa. Degé: mdangs sum ’gyur du rnam par ’phel bar byed pa.

n.26The ellipses […] throughout this translation indicate omissions of passages that appeared previously in the text (Tibetan: … nas … bar).

n.27This translation is tentative. Degé: nam mkha’ la rkyen gsum yod de/ gsum gyis khyab pas rnam par mdzes so/ gangs ni gdung bar mi byed do/ chu klung dag la skam par mi ’gyur ro/ rkyen gsum pa dag la mkhas pa dang / bzod pa dang / bsdams pas lus khyab pa ni lung gis ma rig pa’i chu bos kyang dbang po drug gdung bar mi byed do. Stok: nam mkha’ la rkyen gsum yod de/ gsum gyis khyad par rnam par mdzes so/ gangs ni gdung bar mi byed do/ chu klung dag la skam par mi ’gyur ro/ rkyen gsum po mkhas pa dang / bzod pa dang / bsdams pas lus khyad pa ni lung gis ma rig pa’i chu bos kyang dbang po drug gdung bar mi byed do.

n.28This translation is tentative. Tibetan: byi ’chor pa srung ba.

n.29The negative acts related to body, speech, and mind.

n.30Translated based on Stok, Kangxi, Yongle, and Lhasa: brtan pa. Degé: brten pa.

n.31Translation based on Stok, Narthang, and Lhasa: brabs. Kangxi and Choné: brims. Degé: brams. This applies to the instances below as well.

n.32We have been unable to identify this substance. Tibetan: sman sing ha k+Shir.

n.33Translated based on Stok, Yongle, and Kangxi: sman bkus te bor ba. Degé: sman bkrus te bor ba.

n.34We are unsure what this refers to‍—perhaps a plant? Tibetan: ru sbal gyi snying.

n.35Tibetan: lcam pa.

n.36In the previous section, this buddha realm was called Manifestation of All Perfumes.

n.37This translation is tentative. Tibetan: ’gro ba’i chos kyi dus ’di dka’ ba ste.

n.38Translated based on Stok: khyod kyi chos kyi gter. Degé: khyod kyis chos kyi gter.

n.39Above this buddha realm was called Absence of Torment.

n.40In the previous section this dhāraṇī mantra was called lotus of sunlight.

n.41Translated based on Stok, Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, and Lhasa: yang srid. Degé: yang sred.

n.42Translated based on Stok: mngon shes drug ldan sgom chen lags. Degé: mgon shes drug ldan sgom byed la.

n.43Translated based on Kangxi, Yongle, and Choné: ’dod chags spang ba’i phyir. Degé: ’dod chags spangs pa’i phyir (“because he has abandoned attachment”).

n.44Translated based on Lithang, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa: sangs rgyas kyi yon tan. Degé: sangs rgyas kyi zhing yon tan (“the qualities of the buddha realms”).

n.45This translation is tentative. Tibetan: da ltar ’jig rten du ston pa nga byung ngo zhes bya ba nas sangs rgyas bcom ldan ’das so zhe bya ba’i bar.

n.46Translated based on Stok: ’chag par byed. Degé: chags par byed.

n.47Stok: gang bdag gis nam mkha’ la brtag par bya’o (“I must investigate space”).

n.48Translated based on Stok: ma yin. Degé: yin (“is”).

n.49Translated based on Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Stok: reg byar lta ba. Degé: reg par lta ba (“the view of contact”).

n.50Translated based on Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok: skye ba. Degé: skyo ba (“weariness”).

n.51Stok: srid pa gsum (“the three realms of existence”).

n.52Translated based on Stok: rkyen. Degé: skyon (“defects”).

n.53This translation is tentative. Tibetan: dus gsum pa’i yang sos.

n.54Reading dngos po med par instead of dngos por.

n.55Based on the following section of the text, it is unclear what those fifteen dangers are.

n.56We are unsure what this refers to. Tibetan: skud pa btags pa.

n.57Translated based on Stok: rab tu nyams pa. Degé: bar du nyams pa.

n.58Yongle, Kangxi, and Choné: ci yang dag pa’i mthar thug pa’i phyir mngon no (“Yes, because they are the limit of reality”).

n.59Stok: ’di ni tha mi dad pa nyid de/ tha mi dad pa nyid kyi mi ’dra ba’o. (“They are indistinct‍—indistinct but different.”) Degé reads ’di ni tha mi dad pa nyid de/ tha mi dad pa nyid kyi phyir mi ’dra ba’o. (“They are indistinct and therefore different.”) As we suspect that the Tibetan may be corrupt here, we have translated it as “They are indistinct and therefore not different.”

n.60Translated based on Stok: zhig. Degé: bzhi (“four”).

n.61The entire section that follows (folios 196.a.1–212.a.4) has not been translated here.

n.62The Stok Palace edition reads ri dags (“wild animals”).

n.63Stok Palace MS reads dang por ma byung ba la dmigs pa (“… that focus on that which has not occurred first”).

n.64The translation of this entire section is tentative. Tibetan: da ltar shin tu kun tu rtog pa’i nyon mongs pa’i tshogs kyi sems can gyi khams la dmigs pa med pa/ kun nas ldang ba med pa/ rgyu ba med pa/ gzhi med pa/ mtshan nyid med pa/ mtshan ma med pa/ chags pa med pa/ rnam par gzhag pa med pa/ rdul med pa/ mun pa med pa/ snang ba med pa/ gzung ba med pa/ gsal byed med pa/ spyod pa med pa/ tha mi dad pa nyid ces bya ba nas phung po dang / khams dang / skye mched dang / ’byung ba chen po thams cad dang / mig gi rang bzhin tshor ba po med pa’i sred pa zhes bya ba’i bar nas/ yid kyi rang bzhin tshor ba po med pa’i sred pa’i bar la smon pa med pa dang/ mngon par ’du byed pa med pa dang / ’jug pa med pa’i chos kyi dbyings dang/ yang dag pa’i mtha’ dang / ’gag pa med pa dang / de bzhin nyid ’dres pa med pa dang/ gang ’jug pa med pa’i chos kyi dbyings don dam pa stong pa nyid dang / phyir mi ldog pa’i chos thams cad mnyam pa nyid kyis sgrol ba.

n.65This translation of these two lines is tentative. Tibetan: sangs rgyas yul gcig gis ni khyod la bsngos/ der ni ci yang nus par ma gyur.

n.66The translation of this verse is tentative. Tibetan: gang gis sems can de dag sdig byed cing / bdag cag gi ni las kyi sgrib ’byang ba/ ched du lung bstan pa ni der nyan pa’i/ rig pa gcig kyang der ni ston pas gsungs.

n.67This translation (“four highest abodes”) is tentative. Tibetan: bzhi pa rab kyi mtha’ gnas.

n.68Translated based on the Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok editions: kun tu gnon pa. Degé reads kun tu gnod pa (“to harm”).

n.69Translated based on Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok: ’jigs. Degé: ’jig (“destroyed”).

n.70Translated based on Stok: sems zhan. Degé: sems can gzhan (“other sentient beings”).

n.71Translated based on Stok: bdag. Degé: dag (plural particle).

n.72Translation based on Yongle, Narthang, Choné, Lhasa, and Stok: btang. Degé: gtar (“to bleed”).

n.73We have been unable to identify this item. Tibetan: sman ka tsa.

n.74Presumably this is the name of a plant. Tibetan: rus sbal gyi snying.

n.75This translation is tentative. Tibetan: srin bu’i rigs dang / rnag khrag dang / mes gang ba’i kha’i sgo sbyang brims te smra ma nus so. We have been unable to identify the meaning of sbrang brims. Stok: spyad brims. Yongle: spyad ri brams. Kangxi: spyad ri brims.

n.76This translation is tentative. Tibetan: bskor ba dang / bsgyur ba.

n.77Translated based on Stok: nyi shu rtsa brgyad. Degé: nyi shu rtsa drug (“twenty-six”).

n.78Translated based on Yongle, Kangxi, and Stok: phyir ldog par byed pa. Degé reads: phyir mi ldog par byed pa (“not reverting”).

n.79Stok: ’on kyang de la snang ba yang med do (“Nevertheless, it is beyond light”).

n.80Translated based on Stok: ma yin. Degé: yin (“is”).

n.81Translated based on Stok: las. Degé: lags (“consciousness is also the cause of formation”).

n.82This translation is tentative. Tibetan: yan lag rnams len pa ste.

n.83Tentative translation based on Degé: sems kyis rjes su mthun par byas pa dag yin no. Stok: sems kyis rjes su ’dun par bya ba dag yin no.

n.84This translation is tentative. Tibetan: de la rtog pa rnams kyis rtog par byed pa nas ’jig pa’i mtshan nyid rnams kyis rtog par byed/ yongs su dag pa la rtog par byed/ rlung la rten pa’i rtog pa de dag skye bar byed/ dgag pa’i bar du ste.

n.85Translated based on Stok: ’phel ba. Degé: ’chel ba. Yongle and Kangxi: mchel ba. Lithang, Narthang, and Choné: mchil ba. Lhasa: ’tshal ba.