འཕགས་པ་ཤན་ཏ་རྒྱས་པ་ཆན་པའ་སྡ་ཉ་མའ་སྙང་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བའ་མད notes: Notes

The Quintessence of the Sun notes

Language: English

Notes

notes.2

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

notes.3

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

notes.4

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

5. Denkarma, 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 ce. 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.

notes.6

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

notes.7

7. Cutler 2002, pp. 231–32 and 253.

notes.8

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

notes.9

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

notes.10

10. Silk 2008, p. 34.

notes.11

11. Braarvig 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).

notes.12

12. Braarvig 1993, p. xxv.

notes.13

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

notes.14

14. Braarvig 1993, pp. xxxiii–xxxvii.

notes.15

15. Several 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.

notes.16

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

notes.17

17. Dharmachakra 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).

notes.18

18. The 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.

notes.19

19. The 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).

notes.20

20. Hoernle 1916, pp. 121–25.

notes.21

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

notes.22

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

notes.23

23. The text only lists eighteen undesirable consequences.

notes.24

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

notes.25

25. Translated 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.

notes.26

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

notes.27

27. This 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.

notes.28

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

notes.29

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

notes.30

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

notes.31

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

notes.32

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

notes.33

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

notes.34

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

notes.35

35. Tibetan: lcam pa.

notes.36

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

notes.37

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

notes.38

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

notes.39

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

notes.40

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

notes.41

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

notes.42

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

notes.43

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

notes.44

44. Translated 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”).

notes.45

45. This 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.

notes.46

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

notes.47

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

notes.48

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

notes.49

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

notes.50

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

notes.51

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

notes.52

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

notes.53

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

notes.54

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

notes.55

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

notes.56

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

notes.57

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

notes.58

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

notes.59

59. Stok: ’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.”

notes.60

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

notes.61

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

notes.62

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

notes.63

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

notes.64

64. The 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.

notes.65

65. This 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.

notes.66

66. The 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.

notes.67

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

notes.68

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

notes.69

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

notes.70

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

notes.71

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

notes.72

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

notes.73

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

notes.74

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

notes.75

75. This 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.