Notes

n.1For an anthology based on the Chinese version of this collection, see Chang 1983.

n.2See The Chapter on Going Forth (Vinayavastu, Toh 1, ch. 1), 1.13; also The Chapter on a Schism in the Saṅgha (Vinayavastu, Toh 1, ch. 17), Degé Kangyur vol. 3 (’dul ba, ga) folio 281.a.

n.3She was offered to Prasenajit by the Śākyas for reasons of diplomacy but was not of noble birth, which turned out to have disastrous consequences much later when Virūḍhaka discovered the deceit and attacked Kapilavastu.

n.4See UCSB Buddhist Studies Translation Group, trans., Aśokadattā’s Prophecy , Toh 76 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2024).

n.5See Subhashita Translation Group, trans., The Prophecy of Kṣemavatī , Toh 192 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha, 2022).

n.6See 84000 Translation Team, trans., The Questions of Gaṅgottarā (Toh 75), 2024.

n.7See Dharmachakra Translation Committee, trans., The Prophecy Concerning Strīvivarta (Toh 190), 2021.

n.8See Sakya Pandita Translation Group, trans., The Questions of an Old Lady (Toh 171), 2020.

n.9See Braarvig, J., trans., The Miraculous Play of Mañjuśrī (Toh 96), 2020.

n.10See Annie Bien, trans., The Prophecy of the Girl Candrottarā (Toh 191), 2025.

n.11lo tstsha ba ’gos chos grub kyis rgya nag gi dpe las bsgyur cing zhus te/ gtan la phab pa/ (Comparative Edition, p. 288, note 1 of p. 283. Stok Palace, folio 181.a).

n.12Denkarma, F.296.b.2; see also Herrmann-Pfandt 2008, pp. 36–37. The Denkarma inventory does contain a separate list of texts translated from the Chinese, but this work is listed within the category of texts belonging to the Ratnakūṭa collection, a heading that appears to trump the language of the source text‍—as with other works from the Ratnakūṭa that are also thought to have been translated from the Chinese.

n.13Phangthangma 2003, p. 16. Here, too, the work is listed under “shorter Mahāyāna sūtras.”

n.14Jing xin tong nü hui 淨信童女會 (Taishō 310 [40]). For more information on the Chinese version of the sūtra, see Lewis R. Lancaster, The Korean Buddhist Canon, K 22(40).

n.15Tib. ri’i rgyal po (“the king of mountains”). An equivalent term is here absent in the Chinese.

n.16The Chinese reads 顧視安詳如大象王 (“Like an elephant king, he cast his peaceful gaze”).

n.17“Of the asuras” is absent in the Chinese, which reads 蓋諸大眾如羅睺羅王 (“he eclipsed all those who surrounded him, like King Rāhula”).

n.18The Chinese makes no mention of the major and minor marks here, instead reading 相好莊嚴威光熾盛 (“His appearance was magnificent, and his splendor and power blazed forth”).

n.19Here the Chinese diverges slightly from the Tibetan: 為欲覺悟一切眾生普令安住決定勝義 (“In order to establish all sentient beings who desire awakening in the supreme definitive meaning”).

n.20The Chinese reads 波斯匿王所生愛女 (“beloved daughter born of King Prasenajit”).

n.21The Chinese reads 年在幼稚顏貌端嚴 (“young and with a beautiful face”).

n.22The Chinese version has 至如來所頂禮佛足 (“Reaching the Thus-Gone One, she prostrated at his feet…”).

n.23Tib. thub mchog. The Chinese reads 牟尼尊 (mounizun, “honored sage”).

n.24顯現威光相奇特 (“Displaying a wonderful resplendence and extraordinary in appearance”).

n.25Tib. mi mchog; Chn. 人中最尊 (ren zhong zui zun).

n.26Tib. mkhyen pa dag gis is probably a dual form denoting the knowledge of things in their true nature, and of things in all their multiplicity. The Chinese here also references skillful means, which is not found in the Tibetan: 智慧善巧知諸行 (“You know all actions with your knowledge and skillful means”).

n.27The subject of the first two lines is not entirely clear in the Tibetan, but this rendering is confirmed by the Chinese: 若有堅固勇進者，慈悲利益眾生類，如是菩薩正修行，唯願如來為宣說。(“Those with steadfast perseverance, / Who compassionately benefit sentient beings‍— / I beseech you, Thus-Gone One, to explain / The correct conduct of such bodhisattvas”).

n.28The Chinese divides this line into two different questions: 云何當得平等法？云何成熟諸眾生？ (“How do they obtain the Dharma of equanimity? How do they bring sentient beings to maturity?”).

n.29In the Chinese, this series of questions starting with “How do they cultivate generosity” seem to be grouped together as one question: 云何出生施戒忍，精進禪定及解脫，智慧破諸煩惱闇，而常安住大方便，三昧總持無礙辯，住四無量五神通?

n.30Tib. sbyangs pa; Chn. 頭陀 (toutuo).

n.31The Chinese reads 時時警覺故 (“because they are constantly vigilant”).

n.32Here the Chinese reads 菩薩成就如是力故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish these eight strengths”).

n.33The Chinese clarifies that the sense here is that the Buddha is repeating in verse what he has just explained: 重說偈言 (“repeated in verse” or “spoke again in verse”).

n.34Here the Chinese 恆善觀察 would be better translated as “Is always with proper observance.”

n.35While the Chinese 不染生死 could be read to mean “not clinging to saṃsāra,” it more likely means “not tainted by saṃsāra,” and was possibly read differently by the Tibetan translators.

n.36The Chinese has 常相警悟 (“continually vigilant of each other”).

n.37The sense in the Chinese is “because” rather than “when”: 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because a bodhisattva accomplishes eight kinds of qualities”).

n.38As above, the sense of the Chinese is “because” rather than “when”: 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.39The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan here omits such numbering.

n.40The Chinese reads 得利不自高 (“When they acquire something, they do not become proud”).

n.41The six lines of verse starting from “Because wise people always act to be of benefit” to “Love and hate do not arise” are taken together as one unit in the Chinese. Thus, the Tibetan version’s continued parsing into groups of four differs from the extant Chinese version.

n.42The Chinese breaks up the verses differently, taking the four lines starting from “Always understanding the nature of the body” to “Are unmoved by joys and sorrows” as a unit of four.

n.43Instead of spyod ’dzin rtag par sa ’dra bas, the Lithang, Kangxi, and Choné Kangyurs read spong ’dzin rtag par sa ’dra bas: “Being like the earth in always accepting and giving up” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, note 3 of p. 269).

n.44As above, the Chinese breaks up the verses differently, taking the four lines starting from “And, properly understanding the afflictions” to “Love and hate do not arise” as a unit of four.

n.45Here again the sense in the Chinese is “because” rather than “when”: 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.46The Chinese reads a little differently here: 於生死中無有疲倦 (“though in saṃsāra, they are indefatigable”).

n.47The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.48Instead of chos rgyal nyid du mngon ’tshang rgya, the Yongle and Kangxi Kangyurs have chos nyid du ni mngon ’tshang rgya: “And become fully awakened to the dharmatā” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, notes 24 and 25 of p. 269).

n.49Instead of dga’ ba’i sems kyis rtag tu bde, the Lithang and Choné Kangyurs have dga’ ba’i sems kyi rtag tu bde: “And their joyful minds are always happy” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, note 1 of p. 270).

n.50Instead of thabs kyis pha rol gang phyin pa, the Yongle, Narthang, and Lhasa Kangyurs have thabs kyi pha rol gang yin pa; Peking reads thabs kyi pha rol gang phyin pa. Both could be translated as “Those who have become accomplished in skillful means” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, notes 2 and 3 of p. 270).

n.51The Chinese here differs slightly from the Tibetan: 愛樂佛功德 (“Adoring and delighting in the Buddha’s qualities”).

n.52The Chinese reads 成就八法 (“when the eight qualities are accomplished”).

n.53Tib. sems kyi khams mnyam par ’gyur; the expression khams mnyam pa can simply mean “balanced” or “healthy”; or this may be a reference to khams mnyam pa nyid (Skt. dhātusamatā), forty-eighth of the 108 gateways to the light of Dharma listed in chapter 4 of the Lalitavistara (see The Play in Full 4.20).

n.54The Chinese reads 一者心如地故 (“The first is because the mind is similar to earth”). Note that here again the Chinese includes explicit numbering for this and the remainder of the list of qualities.

n.55Here the Chinese reads 一者心如地故 (“The first is because the mind is similar to earth”). Note that here again the Chinese includes explicit numbering for this and the remainder of the list of qualities.

n.56The Chinese reads 除煩惱渴 (“It quenches the thirst of the afflictions”).

n.57Although all the Tibetan editions consulted read nyan thos dang ni rang rgyal gyi, the genitive gyi is clearly better read as an ergative gyis. The Chinese has no grammatical particle to restrict the sense to a genitive.

n.58The Chinese reads 有八種法，菩薩成就出生菩提 (“There are eight qualities through which bodhisattvas accomplish the source of enlightenment”).

n.59Instead of ci bdog pa rnams yongs su gtong ba’i phyir ro, Yongle has ci bdog pa rnams yongs su gdung ba’i phyir ro, “Because they are in great pain concerning everything they possess,” which would probably mean that they cannot bear to keep it only for themselves (Comparative Edition, p. 285, note 15 of p. 271).

n.60Instead of rnam par grol bas nye bar zhi bar ’gyur ba’i phyir ro, Yongle and Kangxi have rnam par grol ba nye bar zhi bar ’gyur ba’i phyir ro: “as they have reached the peace of complete liberation” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, note 21 of p. 271).

n.61The Chinese reads 志求大安樂，除習證真滅 (“Striving determinedly for the great bliss, / They remove habitual patterns and attain true extinction”).

n.62The Chinese reads 了知世空寂 (“And, understanding that the world is empty”).

n.63Instead of don gyi phan pa nan tan sgom, Lithang, Kangxi, and Choné have don gyi phan pa yon tan sgom: “Meditates on the qualities of the ultimate benefit” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, note 19 of p. 272).

n.64善知諸性欲，說法度眾生 (“Knowing well the natures and desires of all / They teach the Dharma to liberate sentient beings”).

n.65Here the Chinese reads 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.66Here again the Chinese includes explicit numbering for this and the remainder of the list.

n.67Instead of ji skad thos bzhin ston byed pas, Kangxi has ji skad bos bzhin ston byed pas: “And teach what has been asked for” (Comparative Edition, p. 285, note 8 of p. 273).

n.68The Chinese reads 慈悲為依止 (“relying upon love and compassion”).

n.69As above, the Chinese reads菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.70The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.71The Chinese reads 有八種法，菩薩成就頭陀功德，常樂住於阿蘭若處 (“There are eight qualities through which bodhisattvas accomplish ascetic virtue and always dwell joyfully in seclusion”).

n.72The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.73The Chinese adds an additional characterization: 少欲知足不放逸 (“Having few wants and being content and conscientious”).

n.74The Chinese version reads 常住空閑佛所讚 (“They always dwell in solitude and are praised by the buddhas”).

n.75The Degé reads gnyen bshes yongs spangs bsngags pa rjod, but here we follow the Chinese 遠離眷屬絕稱譽 (“They leave behind relatives and friends and refuse honor and praise”), which matches the Yongle’s bsngags pa gcad and the Narthang’s bsngags gcod pa (Comparative Edition, p. 286, note 8 of p. 275).

n.76The Chinese reads 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.77The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.78Instead of rab tu bzod pa, “accepting,” Narthang and Lhasa have rab tu brjod pa, “asserting” (Comparative Edition, p. 286, note 12 of p. 275).

n.79Instead of skye med, “non-arising,” Narthang and Lhasa have skyon med, “flawlessness” (Comparative Edition, p. 286, note 1 of p. 276).

n.80The sense of the Chinese is “because” rather than “when”: 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.81The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.82The Chinese simply reads 化彼諸邪見 (“Transform wrong views”).

n.83The Degé and Comparative Edition have the mistaken rnam dag yang dag dag gis ni, and curiously, the Comparative Edition does not note any variants (Comparative Edition, p. 277). The Stok Palace has the correct rnam dag yang dag ngag gis ni (folio 177.a).

n.84While the Degé edition reads log brtson dag ni spong bar byed (“They abandon those with wrong effort”), the Chinese reads 不捨邪勤者 (“They do not abandon those with wrong effort”). This reading, which is preferable, is corroborated by the Yongle, Narthang, and Stok Palace versions (Comparative Edition, p. 286, note 6 of p. 277; Stok Palace, folio 177.b).

n.85The Chinese has 菩薩成就八種法故 (“because bodhisattvas accomplish eight qualities”).

n.86The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.87The Degé reads rtag par dran byed rjes su dran (“They always recall [the six] recollections”). The Stok Palace shares this reading (folio 178.a). The Chinese reads 常念於無念 (“They always recall nonrecollection”). Here 無念 (wu nian) carries the sense of nondeluded thoughts and correct recollection/mindfulness. Interestingly, the Yongle, Lithang, Kangxi, Narthang, Choné, and Lhasa versions match the Chinese, reading rtag par dran med rjes su dran (Comparative Edition, p. 286, note 7 of p. 278).

n.88Tib. chos kyi mnga’ bdag nor gyis ni/ brtse sems thams cad kun sdud pas. The Yongle and Narthang editions read sbyin pas, “give,” instead of sdud pas, “draw in,” which would translate as: “They give everything to everyone with their loving minds” (Comparative Edition, p. 286, note 10 of p. 278). This more closely matches the Chinese, which reads 悲心施一切 (“Doling out compassion to all”).

n.89The Chinese has 世尊! 成熟幾法能轉女身? (“Blessed One, which dharmas must one have ripened to be able to transform female existence?”).

n.90The Chinese reads 成就八法當轉女身 (“when one accomplishes eight qualities, one will certainly transform female existence”).

n.91The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.92The Chinese reads 成就八法能轉女身 (“when one accomplishes the eight qualities, one is able to transform/avert the female existence”).

n.93The Chinese has 一者尊重於佛深樂於法 (“First, respecting the Buddha and profoundly rejoicing in the Dharma”). The Chinese continues to explicitly number each item in the list of eight, whereas the Tibetan omits such numbering.

n.94The Chinese reads 無所缺犯 (“Not falling short of or violating the training precepts”).

n.95The Chinese has 敬佛深樂法 (“When one is devoted to the Buddha and profoundly rejoices in the Dharma”).

n.96The Chinese reads 尊重戒多聞 (“Respecting those with discipline and great learning”).

n.97The six lines of verse starting from “When one keeps discipline with modesty and bashfulness” to “Impure existence as a woman” are taken together as one unit in the Chinese.

n.98The six lines of verse starting from “When, with supreme intent, one develops weariness” to “One will quickly obtain the body of a man” are taken together as one unit in the Chinese.

n.99The Chinese version reads differently here: 爾時淨信童女以所持金鬘散於佛上 (“Then the girl Vimalaśraddhā laid upon the Buddha the golden necklaces she was wearing”).

n.100The Degé omits the dang (“and”) between gzhal med khang and khang pa brtsegs pa, but dang is here included in the Yongle, Kangxi, Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace versions (Comparative Edition, p. 287, note 5 of p. 280; Stok Palace, folio 179.a). The inclusion of dang more closely matches the Chinese, which reads 於虛空中變成真金宮殿樓閣 (“In the sky, they turned into palaces and pavilions of real gold”).

n.101The Chinese has 散彼佛上 (“and laid them upon the Buddha”).

n.102The Chinese reads 亦於空中變金樓閣，寶帳寶蓋種種莊嚴 (“They also turned into golden pavilions ornamented with all kinds of jeweled canopies and jeweled parasols”).

n.103Instead of thugs rjes sems can rnams la sman par mdzad, “Through his compassion acts as healer for all sentient beings,” Yongle and Kangxi have thugs rjes sems can rnams la smin par mdzad, “Through his compassion, ripens all sentient beings” (Comparative Edition, p. 287, note 1 of p. 281). The Chinese reads 哀愍利益諸眾生 (“Compassionately benefits all sentient beings”).

n.104The six lines of verse starting from “The Blessed One, supreme and foremost among men” to “To you, supreme among men, we make offerings” are taken together as one unit in the Chinese.

n.105The four lines of verse starting from “By force of hearing the Dharma, we have discarded all passions” to “We will continually overcome the afflictions and defeat Māra” are taken together as one unit in the Chinese.

n.106Instead of thabs dang shes rab sems can yongs bsdus nas, “And gathering all sentient beings through insight and skillful means,” Narthang and Lhasa have thabs dang shes rab sems ni yongs bsdus nas, which might be translated as “And gathering a mind of insight and skillful means” (Comparative Edition, p. 287, notes 14 and 15 of p. 280).

n.107The Chinese has 利益無量人天眾 (“Benefitting countless assemblies of gods and humans”).

n.108The Chinese reads 我等當能師子吼 (“We will be able to roar the lion’s roar”).

n.109The Chinese has 佛告阿難 (“The Buddha said to Ānanda”).

n.110The Chinese reads 佛言 (“The Buddha said”).

n.111The Chinese has simply 生兜率陀天 (“and be reborn in Tuṣita heaven”).

n.112The Chinese reads simply 當得作佛 (“will become a buddha”).

n.113“Exclusively” is absent in the Chinese: 以無量無邊大菩薩眾而為眷屬.

n.114“And so on” is absent in the Chinese: 猶如我今六十菩薩，文殊師利而為 上首 (“in the same way as now, during my lifetime, these sixty bodhisattvas have as their head Mañjuśrī”).

n.115As noted above, the Narthang, Lhasa, and Stok Palace versions state in the colophon that this text was translated, edited, and finalized based on a Chinese text by the translator Gö Chödrup: lo tstsha ba ’gos chos grub kyis rgya nag gi dpe las bsgyur cing zhus te/ gtan la phab pa/ (Comparative Edition, p. 288, note 1 of p. 283). Stok Palace, folio 181.a.