Notes

n.1See Blazing Wisdom Translation Group (tr.), Inspiring Determination , 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2021.

n.2Taishō 811 is 佛說決定總持經 (Foshuo jueding zong chi jing); Taishō 831 is 謗佛經 (Bang fojing).

n.3The Denkarma catalog is dated to ca. 812 ᴄᴇ. Denkarma, folio 299.a.7. See also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, p. 105, no. 198.

n.4Stok Palace reads shes rab kyi snang bas spobs pa brtan pa’i blo gros.

n.5las spyod pa. Stok Palace: las sbyong ba.

n.6Translated based on Stok Palace: dpag med khyad par ’phags pa’i blo gros pa. Degé: dpag med khyab par ’phags pa’i blo grags pa.

n.7Stok Palace offers an alternative for this line: “And many forms of carelessness and even your head” (bag med tshogs dang dbu yang spangs mdzad pa).

n.8It appears that the reading in Degé, the Comparative Edition, and Stok Palace is corrupt: skyo ba po’i lus dang lhan cig tu kun tu mi gnas pa. Phukdrak MS offers an alternative: skye ba po’i las dang lhan cig tu kun tu mi gnas pa. This also appears to be mistaken, though it is slightly more intelligible. The translation is based on a quote of this passage found in Atiśa’s Mahāsūtrasamuccaya (Toh 3961): skye ba po’i lus dang lhan cig tu kun tu mi gnas pa. While there seems to be consensus in classical sources that two of the three troubles nāgas encounter are hot sandstorms and the attacks of garuḍas, it is less clear what the remaining terror is. Lamotte (p. 244, note 500) cites Tch’ang a han to say that the third suffering Anavatapta does not have to endure is a violent wind blowing in his palace. The Mahā­māyūrī­vidyā­rājñī (folio 107.a) specifies that the third difficulty is the threat of royal punishment.

n.9nga yi. Stok Palace: mi yi.

n.10Following the 84000 guidelines, this dhāraṇī has been transcribed as it appears in Degé.

n.11Translated based on Stok Palace: kyi. Degé: kyis.

n.12Translated based on Stok Palace, Lithang, Choné, and Narthang: sbyong ba. Degé: spyod pa.

n.13Although the Tibetan does not specify that the text continues with the Buddha’s direct speech at this point, it seems most likely from the context that this is the case. We have therefore added the phrase “The Blessed One then said.”