Notes

n.1See the introduction to Peter Alan Roberts and Yeshe Tulku, trans., The Basket’s Display (Kāraṇḍavyūha, Toh 116, 2013), i.15–i.17 for a helpful discussion of the translation of karaṇḍa as “basket.”

n.2The Tibetan that has been rendered “illuminator” is rnam par snang mdzad, which we have read as a noun rather than as an adjective, and which may refer either to the sun, figuratively, or to the Buddha Vairocana. Whether the intended sense here is the figurative evocation of the sun or a reference to Vairocana is not clear, but we have treated all instances in the text as the former and left the English uncapitalized. As for “matrix,” the intended sense here is that of a womb, one of the word’s meanings. In this regard, it may be worth noting that the English word “matrix” comes from the Latin for “mother” (māter).

n.3Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Questions of Brahmaviśeṣacintin (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021), 1.22.

n.4Denkarma, folio 299.b. See also Yoshimura 1950, p. 136; Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 109.

n.5Phangthangma 2003, p. 16.

n.6shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa’i man ngag gi bstan bcos mngon par rtogs pa’i rgyan ces bya ba’i ’grel pa’i rgya cher bshad pa lung gi snye ma.

n.7chos gcig gis don bsdu ba. This section of Butön’s commentary also lists quotes from The Lion’s Roar of Śrīmālādevī (Śrīmālādevīsiṃhanāda, Toh 92), The Sūtra of Siṃha’s Questions ( Siṃhaparipṛcchāsūtra , Toh 81), and The Sūtra of Advice for the King (Rājādeśasūtra, Toh 214, 215). Cluster of Scriptures, pp. 203-204.

n.8For the dates of this scholar, see van der Kuijp 2009, pp. 8–9.

n.9byang chub sems dpa’i sems kyi gnas bshad pa’i mdo. The other sūtras in this group, listed in the order in which they appear, are Toh 257–62, 264–86, 357, 32, 33, 138, and 36.

n.10mdo sde spyi’i rnam bzhag.

n.11theg pa ni gnas skabs gsum dang mthar thug gcig go. The doctrine of the one final vehicle of buddhahood asserts that the śrāvaka, pratyekabuddha, and bodhisattva vehicles are expedient means that lead all beings to attain buddhahood. In contrast, the doctrine of three final vehicles asserts that those who follow the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha paths become arhats and pratyekabuddhas, respectively, and do not go on to attain buddhahood. In a similar vein, a contemporary Chinese commentary reads “the illuminator’s matrix” (vairocanagarbha) as referring to the ninth level of “immaculate consciousness” (amalavijñāna) posited in certain strands of the Yogācāra school in China, and it likewise classifies this sūtra as teaching the one final vehicle of buddhahood. See Shi, Miaohui. Also see Shi, Chengjing on this sūtra teaching the doctrine of the one final vehicle of buddhahood.

n.12See Harrison 2015, pp. 833, 851, 863–65.

n.13無字寶篋經 (Wuzi baoqie jing), Taishō 828. See Lancaster, “K213.”

n.14This sūtra is listed among Buddhaśānta’s translations in the 歷代三寶紀 (Lidai sanbao ji) [Record of the three jewels throughout successive dynasties], Taishō 2034, a private scriptural catalog of canonical texts compiled by Fei Changfang in 597 ᴄᴇ.

n.15大乘離文字普光明藏經 (Dacheng liwenzi puguangmingzang jing), Taishō 829, and 大乘遍照光藏無字法門經 (Dacheng bianzhao guangzang wuzifamen jing), Taishō 830. See Lancaster, “K214” and “K215.”

n.16Shi, Miaohui.

n.17Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Ornament of the Light of Awareness That Enters the Domain of All Buddhas (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2015), 1.14.

n.18Toh 100, 1.18.

n.19Toh 100, 1.71–1.75.

n.20历代诵持《大乘离字普光明藏经》神奇感应 (“Lidai songchi dacheng liwenzi puguangmingzang jing shenqi ganying”).

n.21Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., Upholding the Roots of Virtue (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2020), 13.63.

n.22Reading vairocanagarbha as referring to the womb realm of the Buddha Mahāvairocana, Sakai posits that this sūtra is a summary of the meaning of the Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi, an early Buddhist tantra composed between the mid-sixth and seventh centuries, extant in Chinese as The Enlightenment, Supernatural Transformations, and Empowerment of Mahāvairocana (Śubhakarasiṃha and Yixing, trans., 大毘盧遮那成佛神變加持經 Da biluzhena chengfo shenbian jiachi jing, Taishō 848) and in Tibetan as The Tantra of the Complete Awakening of Vairocana (rnam par snang mdzad mngon par rdzogs par byang chub pa’i rgyud, Toh 494). However, this sūtra’s translation into Chinese by Bodhiruci in the early sixth century suggests that it predates the Vairocanābhisaṃbodhi, raising doubts about Sakai’s claim.

n.23yi ge sgrub pa la mkhas pa. The Chinese translations read that they were “accomplished in understanding the gateway/treasury of the Dharma without words.”

n.24All three Chinese translations lack the epithet “bodhisattva great being” and read Ratnadvīpa as a place name (寶洲, “Precious Continent”). S reads rin po che’i snying (“Precious Matrix”).

n.25This translation follows the reading in C, H, J, and N that omits dang after zad mi shes pa: nges pa’i tshig dang spobs pa zad mi shes pa zung khong du chud par byed pa. Taishō 828 and Taishō 830 read zung (“pair”) as “two kinds of emptiness” (二空). Taishō 829 reads “the gateway to the ultimate and conventional” (真俗門), implying the two truths.

n.26D: brten pa. S: bstan pa (“taught”).

n.27Here, Taishō 828 reads 善學諸諦通達實際 (“Skilled in learning all truths, they realized the limit of reality”). Taishō 829 reads 深明實際不住其中 (“Deeply understanding the limit of reality, they did not abide in it”).

n.28Tib. gnas pa med pa. Here Taishō 828 reads 無邊勇健無所執著 (“Limitless in power, there was nothing they were attached to”).

n.29Translation tentative. Where D reads sems pa, other Kangyur versions (C, J, K, Y, N, S) read sems dpa’ (Skt. sattva), with S adding a shad: rang bzhin med pa’i khyad par sems dpa’/ snying po la dpa’ ba (“Preeminent heroes who lacked inherent existence, they were courageous about the matrix”). Here Taishō 828 reads 能善思惟實以不實二種法門 (“They were able to skillfully contemplate the real and unreal, the two types of Dharma doors”).

n.30The Chinese translations add here that these bodhisattvas were liberated from the three realms and able to rescue those in the three realms.

n.31stong gi ’byung gnas. This translation follows the Chinese translations that read “bodhisattva Thousand Attributes” (Taishō 828: 千相菩薩, Taishō 829: 千容相菩薩). Taishō 830 reads “bodhisattva Thousand Spokes” (千輻菩薩).

n.32Not listed in S.

n.33D: byams pa. Y: spyan ras gzigs (Avalokiteśvara). Taishō 829 and Taishō 830 similarly mention Avalokiteśvara here; they also do not include Mañjuśrī in the audience.

n.34Taishō 828 has the opposite formulation of the bodhisattvas Destroyer of Doubt and Sarvanīvaraṇaviṣkambhin manifesting the bodies of thus-gone ones. Taishō 829 is similar to the Tibetan, while Taishō 830 does not include this sentence.

n.35Taishō 828 also lists Viśeṣacintin a second time in the audience, accompanied by a retinue of goddesses. Taishō 829 and 830 name different bodhisattvas accompanied by goddesses.

n.36yi ge gnyis shig. Ch. 二字. It is not clear what this term refers to given that Viśeṣacintin asks the Buddha three questions. In Taishō 828, Viśeṣacintin asks only two questions here about what bodhisattvas abandon and what the thus-gone ones realize. He asks the third question about what bodhisattvas safeguard only after the Buddha’s reply to his first question. Taishō 829 is similar to the Tibetan. Taishō 830 has Viśeṣacintin asking only two questions, combining what bodhisattvas abandon and safeguard into a single question. After posing the two questions, Viśeṣacintin adds, “Please explain these two meanings to us” (有何等法。菩薩摩訶薩應當除滅及以守護。復有何法。如來克證及以覺知。如是二字惟願為説。).

n.37Short for Brahmaviśeṣacintin. Taishō 828 uses the same short form here (“Brahmā,” 梵天) and spells out Brahmaviśeṣacintin (勝思惟梵天) in full once later in the sūtra.

n.38D: sred pa. S reads srid pa (Skt. bhava), “renewed existence” or “becoming,” the tenth of the twelve links of dependent origination.

n.39Taishō 829 and Taishō 830 include “deluded doubt” (疑惑) in the list of phenomena to be abandoned. Taishō 829 also lists “arrogance” (憍慢) and leaves out “ignorance.” Taishō 830 leaves out “lethargy.”

n.40Y and K: gzhan gyi srog mi gcod (“does not take the lives of others”).

n.41Taishō 830 further spells out avoidance of the other seven of the ten nonvirtuous actions: lying, divisive speech, idle talk, harsh speech, covetousness, malice, and wrong views.

n.42D: rgyur. Y and K: rgyun (“continuity”).

n.43D: rtogs pa. Y and K: rtog pa (“conceive”).

n.44Instead of “all phenomena are unarisen,” the Chinese translations read “all phenomena are not real” (不實).

n.45Taishō 828 has a different formulation: “Yet what thus-gone ones realize is free from causes and free from conditions. Thus-gone ones’ speech is without karmic results. They experience this upon attaining full awakening” (而如來所覺離因離緣。如來說言無有業報。既成正覺而受之也。). Taishō 829 and Taishō 830 are similar to the Tibetan.

n.46D: yongs su rtog pa dag (“conceptions”). This translation follows the reading in S: yongs su rtogs pa dag. Taishō 829 and Taishō 830 read “the nature of phenomena” (法性). An equivalent term does not appear in Taishō 828.

n.47Taishō 828 and Taishō 830 read “the nature and characteristics (性相) of phenomena.” Taishō 829 reads “the true nature (實性) of all phenomena.”

n.48Taishō 828 reads “without thought, no thought” (無思不思) instead of “without acceptance, without rejection.” Taishō 829 and Taishō 830 are similar to the Tibetan.

n.49Here Taishō 828 reads 說此廣嚴上王無字寶篋光嚴法門時 (“When this extensively adorned supreme king, the basket without words, the Dharma instruction adorned by light was spoken”); Taishō 829 reads 當佛說此莊嚴王離文字普光明藏法門之時 (“When the Buddha spoke this king of adornments, the Dharma instruction of the universally illuminating treasury free from words”).

n.50sa thob par gyur. Taishō 830 reads “countless bodhisattvas abided on the grounds” (無量諸菩薩等住於諸地). Taishō 829 reads “countless bodhisattvas attained entry onto the first ground” (無量菩薩得入初地). This sentence is not found in Taishō 828.

n.51Following the reading in S: byang chub sems dpa’i sde snod (Skt. bodhisattvapiṭaka). D: byang chub sems dpa’i snod.

n.52In Taishō 830, the Buddha begins his response by saying that he is giving this Dharma instruction for the first time since attaining buddhahood. While Taishō 828 and Taishō 829 are similar to the Tibetan here, in Taishō 828 the Buddha concludes his discourse with a similar pronouncement.

n.53S adds ri mor bya (“showed respect to”).

n.54See The Questions of Brahmaviśeṣacintin (Toh 160), 1.187–1.188 for bodhisattva Brahmaviśeṣacintin’s explanation of why this Dharma contradicts the whole world.