The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1)

Translation of འཕགས་པ་ཡལ་འཁར་སྐྱང་གས་ཞས་པ་ཞས་བྱ་བ་ཐག་པ་ཆན་པའ་མད (འཕགས་པ་ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྐྱོང་གིས་ཞུས་པ་ཞེས་བྱ་བ་ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོའི་མདོ)

Language: English
Translators: Klaus-Dieter Mathes, Julika Weber, Katrin Querl, Konstantin Brockhausen, Susanne Fleischmann, Daniel Gratzer
Extent: 221 passages, 23,259 words
Text: complete digital text
Source: 84000 · Translated by the Vienna Buddhist Translation Studies Groupunder the patronage and supervision of 84000:… · CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 (84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha). Shown whole and unaltered, with its notes, on a…

intro 84000's introduction — 22 parts
1 — 20 parts
2 — 41 parts
notes Notes — 138 parts

Text

84000's introduction

intro.1

The newly ordained monk Rāṣṭrapāla questions the Buddha about the proper conduct of a bodhisattva. The Buddha proceeds to explain its features in detail, giving as examples his own conduct in his multiple past lives. He tells the story of his past life as prince Puṇyaraśmi, who abandoned pleasure, a kingdom, and riches to follow the bodhisattva path to enlightenment for the sake of sentient beings.

intro.2

The Text

intro.3

The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1) is one of the earliest Mahāyāna sūtras and belongs to the Ratnakūṭa collection of the Chinese Tripiṭaka and the Tibetan Kangyur.¹ Among the forty-nine works that constitute this collection, The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1) is one of the few texts for which Indian originals are extant. The earliest available complete Sanskrit text is from a Nepalese manuscript dated to 1661, which was edited by Louis Finot and first published in St. Petersburg by the Académie Impériale des Sciences in 1901. The Nepalese manuscript is preserved at Cambridge University. Two other similar manuscripts are held in Paris and Tokyo. In addition, no less than four copies of the original Sanskrit text dated to the eighteenth to the twentieth century have surfaced from the Nepal-German Manuscript Preservation Project (NGMPP).²

intro.4

Beginning in the third century ce, The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1) was translated into Chinese at least three times. The earliest extant translation, the Deguang taizi jing (德光太子經, Taishō 170), was prepared by Dharmarakṣa (c. 233–310) and completed in the year 270. In the late sixth century, The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1) was translated a second time by Jñānagupta and Dharmagupta under the title of Huguo pusa hui (護國菩薩會, Taishō 310, pp. 457–78). Finally, the text was translated a third time into Chinese in 994 by Dānapāla and given the title Huguo zunzhe suowen dacheng jing (護國尊者所問大乘經, Taishō 321).³

intro.5

In the early ninth century ce, The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1) was translated into Tibetan by the Tibetan translator Yeshé Dé in cooperation with the Indian scholars Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, and Munivarman. In the Degé Kangyur, this text comprises thirty folios. It was critically edited and compared to the Lhasa, Narthang, and Peking recensions in 1952 by Jacob Ensink in the context of his study and translation of the Sanskrit text.⁴

intro.6

The first Western-language translation was a translation from Sanskrit into French by Louis Finot, in 1901, based on the above-mentioned seventeenth-century Nepalese manuscript.⁵ Finot’s edition was the basis for an English translation made by Jacob Ensink in 1952. The most recent translation of the text was an English translation by Daniel Boucher in 2008. Boucher also provided an extensive study of the sūtra, basing his translation on the Tibetan, Sanskrit, and Chinese versions. In addition to the Peking and Narthang Kangyurs, he used the Stok Palace manuscript and the London (Shelkar) manuscript Kangyurs. Boucher utilized all three Chinese texts, the Deguang taizi jing, the Huguo pusa hui, and the Huguo zunzhe suowen dacheng jing.

intro.7

For our present translation, we have relied mainly on the Tibetan translation from the early ninth-century as preserved in the Degé edition, comparing it to the Peking edition whenever passages were unclear. For some passages in which the Tibetan was misleading or unintelligible on its own, we relied on the Sanskrit text and marked these instances in the footnotes to our translation. In addition, we consulted Daniel Boucher’s English translation and study of The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1).

intro.8

The Historical Background and Dating of the Text

intro.9

Based on the extant Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan recensions of the sūtra, at least two strata of the text can be identified:⁶ (1) passages that have parallels in Dharmarakṣa’s earliest Chinese translation (270 ce), and (2) passages that are found only in the later Chinese and Tibetan versions as well as the extant Sanskrit translation from the late seventeenth century.⁷ About fifty percent of the content of the extant Sanskrit and Tibetan editions is missing in the earliest Chinese translation. The later parts consist of some two hundred forty-eight verses out of a total of three hundred fifty-three, and merely a few passages in prose. They are mostly located at the beginning of the text and focus on the extensive praise of the body of the Buddha in verse form,⁸ a typical feature of later Mahāyāna discourses. This challenges the widely-held assumption that in Mahāyāna scriptures, verse tends to be older than prose.

intro.10

The earlier layer of the text is largely in prose. Only one of the tetrads praising the qualities of bodhisattvas is followed by verses (namely, verses –, which concern things that thoroughly purify the enlightened conduct of bodhisattvas). The short section condemning the conduct of corrupt monks is an even mix of prose and verse. The story of Puṇyaraśmi contains four passages written in verse. By contrast, all passages that were introduced into the text later are written in verse (except for short sections at the beginning of the sūtra describing the assembly and the acts of bodhisattva Prāmodyarāja).⁹ Comparing the earlier with the later translation, the following observations can be made:

intro.11

The older parts of the text feature a number of themes that are considered representative of early Mahāyāna development.¹⁰ There is an emphasis on retreating into the wilderness,¹¹ engaging in austere discipline, and dedicating all efforts to a correct way of practice, i.e., with the mindset of a renunciant.¹² Such measures reflect a resistance on the part of many early Mahāyāna proponents to the increasing interactions of monasteries with society, which was accompanied by their strong determination to retreat into the wilderness, in order to return to the original path taught and exemplified by the Buddha. Because of the utmost importance accorded to the topic of retreating into the forests in this text, the Sanskrit term araṇya has been rendered literally as “forest” in this translation, although the equivalent Tibetan term is dgon pa, which is normally rendered as “solitude” or “monastery.” In reaction to perceived dangers of worldly interactions, fellow monks, in the earlier parts of the text, are criticized for their pretentious and inappropriate behavior and perfidious intentions,¹³ and even more so in some of the parts added later, where these corrupt monks are also held responsible for the decline of the Dharma.¹⁴

intro.12

The narrative of Puṇyaraśmi, who is the Buddha in one of his previous lives, forms the largest part of the text and the narrative centerpiece of the sūtra. It also belongs to the older layer of the text, as does its central theme of renunciation entailing abstinence from all kinds of sensual pleasure.¹⁵ The text concludes with a praise of the sūtra itself, underscoring its authenticity and beneficent powers, and describes the immense merit that follows from reciting it, along with severe drawbacks that befall those who reject it.

intro.13

Supplementing the earlier material, and in some cases contrasting with it, the later additions include a list of bodhisattvas present in the assembly and a long set of verses summarizing most of the Jātakas—recounting fifty previous lives of the Buddha and his accumulation of merit as a bodhisattva—as well as verses that recount the recalcitrance of certain fellow monks¹⁶ and that expose corruption in the monastic community.¹⁷ Many of these parts seem to be responding to hostile reactions toward the Mahāyāna movement and contain sharp exhortations to follow the proper path and the footsteps of the Buddha.

intro.14

The Contents

intro.15

The Questions of Rāṣṭrapāla (1) can be roughly divided into two sections. The first section mainly revolves around the Buddha addressing the questions about the nature of bodhisattva conduct posed by Rāṣṭrapāla, a newly ordained monk who had joined the Buddha’s assembly in Rājagṛha on Vulture’s Peak. In the second section, the Buddha proceeds to provide an illustration of exemplary conduct by recalling an episode in one his former lives, during the time of the Buddha Siddhārthabuddhi. As prince Puṇyaraśmi, the son of the influential and wealthy king Arciṣmān, he renounced his luxurious and extravagant life in his father’s estate to devote himself to the path of the Dharma and practice in the solitude of the forest for the benefit of all beings.

intro.16

The sūtra opens in typical fashion, setting the scene with the Buddha presiding over an assembly of thousands of monks, bodhisattvas, and celestial beings. As the bodhisattva Prāmodyarāja praises his splendid, awe-inspiring appearance, the Buddha proclaims all phenomena to be empty. The narrative then shifts to Rāṣṭrapāla, a newly ordained monk who has just received his vows after spending the rainy season in Śrāvastī. Together with a group of monks, Rāṣṭrapāla travels toward Rājagṛha, where the Buddha has been staying. On his arrival, the newly ordained monk approaches the Buddha and, having offered glorifying praises to him, addresses a series of questions to him concerning the qualities and conduct of a genuine bodhisattva and the path to attain inexhaustible wisdom and enlightenment. The Buddha, welcoming Rāṣṭrapāla’s queries, then responds in the form of a discourse—alternating between prose and verse—in which he presents sets of four points that outline how a bodhisattva should comport himself. These highlight the virtue of qualities such as renunciation, mendicancy, perseverance, impartiality, pure discipline, and unworldliness, and extol the benefits of meditating on emptiness.

intro.17

To exemplify such qualities, the Buddha proceeds to recount his past lives in a manner typical of the Jātaka tales. The stories portray his renunciation during his lives as wealthy kings, highlighting his benevolence and compassion for the sake of others, qualities totally free of any self-concern. Prominently featured in most Jātaka tales are the Buddha’s heroic acts of self-sacrifice, in which he cuts off his limbs or even offers his whole body to benefit others. In many of these stories, he is an animal displaying various noble behaviors, such as rescuing other animals or people. The introduction concludes with the Buddha’s prediction that there will be monks who, although they know about the Buddha’s virtuous deeds in his past lives, will be corrupt and will indulge in all sorts of negative behaviors, such as transgressing their vows, drinking, overeating, engaging in sexual behavior, speaking ill of the Dharma, behaving badly toward women, having wives and children, and generally demonstrating selfish motivations.

intro.18

The second section focuses on the Buddha’s former life as prince Puṇyaraśmi during the era of Siddhārthabuddhi, a buddha of a past era when human lifespans reached a hundred million years. Puṇyaraśmi’s father was Arciṣmān, the king of a vast empire on the continent of Jambudvīpa, who resided in the city of Ratnaprabhāsa, the capital of his kingdom. The Buddha relates how the birth of the good-looking young prince Puṇyaraśmi was accompanied by various miraculous signs heralding the arrival of a buddha. Mirroring the life of the Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama, Puṇyaraśmi swiftly mastered all worldly arts.

intro.19

One night, the gods of the pure realm Śuddhāvāsa awaken Puṇyaraśmi from his sleep, urging him to be conscientious and to think about the impermanence of all things. They remind him of the brevity and evanescence of human life, exhorting him to practice the Dharma in the manner of a compassionate bodhisattva—by dwelling in solitude and by renouncing his luxurious, lavish lifestyle. The young prince follows their advice and, like a proper renunciant, shuns all the pleasurable activities available to him as a prince.

intro.20

Puṇyaraśmi’s father, Arciṣmān, had built an enormous city called Ratipradhāna (“City in Which Pleasure Is the Main Concern”), beautifully decorated with various garlands and jewels, where he invites his son to fulfill all his desires. The city is decorated with flowers and gold, and exotic birds fly about, singing melodiously. For his sensual gratification, Puṇyaraśmi is presented with forty million young maidens—whom he nobly rejects, along with everything else. Arciṣmān, wondering why his son has rejected all these abundant gifts, approaches him to ask why he has refused everything; he encourages him to enjoy himself with the young maidens while he is still in the full bloom of his youth. But Puṇyaraśmi responds that he has other goals in mind, the foremost being liberation from saṃsāra. Knowing about the deceptive nature of such enjoyments, the impurity of the human body, and the unsatisfactory nature of desire, he no longer feels attracted to such things. Instead, he declares that he wants to become a Buddha for the sake of all beings, pledging that he will from now on follow in the footsteps of the bodhisattvas, going to practice in a forest.

intro.21

In another nocturnal episode, Puṇyaraśmi hears the Śuddhāvāsa gods praising the Three Jewels in the sky above his palace. Climbing onto the roof, he asks them about their praise, whereupon they introduce the Buddha Siddhārthabuddhi. The next day, King Arciṣmān finds the maidens at Puṇyaraśmi’s palace weeping because they can’t find him anywhere. Searching in vain, a local deity informs Arciṣmān that Puṇyaraśmi has left to follow the Buddha Siddhārthabuddhi. Arciṣmān finds them and approaches Siddhārthabuddhi, who then gives a Dharma teaching. Having invited Siddhārthabuddhi to take his meal in Ratipradhāna on the following day, Puṇyaraśmi and Arciṣmān transform the whole city, embellished with all its riches, into an offering for Siddhārthabuddhi.

intro.22

Sometime later—after Siddhārthabuddhi has passed into parinirvāṇa—Puṇyaraśmi, his family, and all the inhabitants of the country finally become renunciants and build eight hundred and forty million stūpas for Siddhārthabuddhi’s relics. The sūtra concludes with the Buddha Śākyamuni revealing to Rāṣṭrapāla that king Arciṣmān was in fact an emanation of Buddha Amitāyus, and that the Buddha himself was prince Puṇyaraśmi. He finally urges him to follow the example of Puṇyaraśmi if he wants to reach enlightenment. In his conclusion, the Buddha reiterates that there will always be corrupt practitioners, with various types of negative behavior, who stray from the path of genuine Dharma. He exhorts Rāṣṭrapāla to avoid such shortcomings and to remain in solitude, abandoning all nonvirtuous forms of behavior. He finally assures him that those who practice according to what has been explained in this sūtra will have no difficulty in attaining enlightenment.

1.1

Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas!

1.2

Thus have I heard at one time. In Rājagṛha, on the Vulture’s Peak, the Bhagavān was residing together with a great assembly of one thousand two hundred fifty monks and five thousand bodhisattvas, whose eloquence was unimpeded, who were endowed with patience, who had conquered the hostile māras, who were very close to realizing all the buddha qualities, who were impeded by only one birth, who had attained concentration and retention, who had reached limitless eloquence and unimpeded fearlessness, who had obtained magical power and the ultimate perfection of power,¹⁸ and who had appropriated all inexhaustible collections of good qualities without exception. The bodhisattvas present included the bodhisattva mahāsattvas Samantabhadra, Samantanetra, Samantāvalokita, Samantaraśmi, Samantaprabha, Uttaramati, Vardhamānamati, Anantamati, Vipulamati, Akṣayamati, Dharaṇīdhara, Jagatīṃdhara, Jayamati, Viśeṣamati, and Dhāraṇīśvararāja. In addition, the sixty unequaled bodhisattvas headed by Mañjuśrī; the sixteen noble men headed by Bhadrapāla; Brahmā, lord of the Sahā world; Śakra, lord of the gods; the four guardians of the world; the god Susīma; and the god Susthitamati—along with all lords of the gods, lords of the nāgas, lords of the kinnaras, lords of the gandharvas, lords of the yakṣas, lords of the asuras, and lords of the garuḍas, all with their retinues of hundreds of thousands—had assembled and taken their seats.

1.3

The Bhagavān was seated on the lion throne at the seat of enlightenment,¹⁹ towering above the whole assembled retinue like Mount Meru. Illuminating the entire world like the sun, and all beings like the moon, he remained perfectly at peace like Brahmā. His body was difficult to approach like the body of Śakra, and he was endowed with the seven precious branches of enlightenment like a cakravartin. Like a lion, he proclaimed that all phenomena have no self and are empty. He was endowed with a body that illuminates the whole world like a huge mass of flames, his radiance blazing brightly like the king of precious jewels among the entire assortment of precious jewels, which is the splendor of all gods.²⁰ Pervading the trichiliocosm with his splendor, he had become swift²¹ in determining the meaning, and had perfectly attained all excellent qualities. He resided in the assembly, intoned the melodious Brahmā voice, and taught the Dharma, endowed with a speech that makes all sentient beings understand. He accurately taught pure conduct, the Dharma that is²² good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, which is of good meaning, in good words, unadulterated, completely perfect, completely pure, and completely purified.

Then the bodhisattva mahāsattva named Prāmodyarāja joined the assembly, was seated, and beheld the Bhagavān seated on the lion throne—the one abiding in splendor outshining the whole gathering of the retinue, with rays of light surpassing a thousand suns. With a happy, delighted, and faithfully yearning mind, Prāmodyarāja rose from his seat, joined his palms, and praised the Bhagavān with the following appropriate verses:

“Victorious One, you shine like a golden mountain;
With your splendor, you outshine beings—

1.4

The hosts of gods, asuras, kinnaras,
Nāgas, śrāvakas, and sons of the buddhas. {1}

“Just as Mount Meru, the dwelling place of hosts of gods,
Is beautiful, though located in the middle of the ocean,
Out of compassion²³ you dwell in the middle of the ocean of suffering,
Sending forth hundreds of thousands of light rays. {2}

“Just as Brahmā is magnificent residing in his Brahmā states,
Presiding over his Brahmā realm,
So you, excellent being, residing in meditative absorption, liberation, and concentration,
Illuminate the entire world. {3}

“Just as Śakra, residing among the gods in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three,
Is gorgeous in all his splendor,
So you, king of sages, who is adorned with the buddha marks and rich in the qualities of wisdom,
Illuminate the entire world. {4}

“Just as the luminous king of the four continents
Shines²⁴ in the world, making it beautiful,
So you, possessing a mind of compassionate intent, {5}
Make beings enter the noble path, making them beautiful.

“Just as the sun, shining brightly in the sky,
Eclipses the light of the fire jewel,²⁵
So you, Buddha-sun, shine in this world,
With your light exceeding a thousand suns. {6}

“Just as the stainless moon shines at midnight,
Completely pure one, illuminating the entire world,
So your face, Victorious One, resembles the full moon,
Outshining all light, radiating exquisitely. {7}

“Just as a blazing fire on a mountain peak
Illuminates the serene night,
So you have conquered the total darkness of ignorance,
And your wisdom light, great sage, shines forth. {8}

“Just as the lion’s persistent roar, echoing in the mountain ravines,
Frightens the herds of deer on the earth,
So the lord of men proclaims emptiness and no-self,
And frightens the rival tīrthikas. {9}

“Just as the genuine king of jewels glows brightly,
And vividly outshines all other jewels,
So the body of the Victorious One, in its golden color,
Sparkles brilliantly, outshining the whole world. {10}

“A being equal or superior to you
Does not exist anywhere in the world.
There is no one to equal you in terms of merit,
Wisdom, diligence, skillful means, or all qualities. {11}

1.5

“I have seen the hero of men who illuminates the world,
The ocean of qualities, the protector.
With respect and full of joy,
I bow to the soles of the feet of the Victorious One. {12}

“I have praised the source of all qualities, the lamp of the world,
The one whose reputation is well founded and who possesses a vast intellect.
May all beings reach supreme enlightenment
Through the merit that has thus been attained.” {13}

Then, having praised the Bhagavān with these verses, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Prāmodyarāja joined his palms and, without blinking, gazed at the body of the Tathāgata. This caused him to investigate the dharmadhātu itself. He penetrated the dharmadhātu, which is profound, difficult to fathom, difficult to see, difficult to internalize, impossible to analyze, not reached by reasoning, peaceful, and subtle. He investigated the inconceivable experiential sphere of the Buddha.

He was made to fully understand that the wisdom of the Tathāgata extends to all phenomena. He accurately observed that the sphere of the buddhas equals the unequaled. He penetrated the experiential sphere, which is the object of the Tathāgata’s skillful means. He realized that the illustrious buddhas are immersed in the unique nature of the dharmadhātu, and he accurately observed the illustrious buddhas whose experiential spheres are like space, without a basis.

He became convinced that all phenomena are contained in the limit of existence, whose nature is without limit, and he came to strongly desire the unobscured liberation of a buddha. He understood that the bodies of the illustrious buddhas are permanent, peaceful, and eternal, and that the bodies of the tathāgatas completely pervade all the limitless buddhafields and manifest to all sentient beings. He was made to recall that the qualities of the illustrious buddhas do not reach an end, even at the endpoints of future eons.

1.6

Investigating the dharmadhātu itself, the bodhisattva mahāsattva Prāmodyarāja stood in silence.

Meanwhile, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla had promised to dwell in Śrāvastī for the three months of the rainy season. When the three months had passed and his robes had been made and received, he took up his bowl and robes, and together with the assembly of fully ordained monks and the new ones—beginners who had recently become renunciants—he proceeded to roam the country, walking toward the great city of Rājagṛha and Vulture’s Peak.

The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla proceeded to the Bhagavān’s dwelling place, and having reached him, he bowed with his head to the Bhagavān’s feet. After circumambulating the Bhagavān three times, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla joined his palms and praised the Bhagavān with the following verses:

“I pay homage to you, supreme one among men, illuminator.
I pay homage to you whose mind is like the sky.
I pay homage to you, Victorious One who eradicates doubts.
I pay homage to you, Sage who has gone beyond the three worlds.²⁶ {14}

“In great millions of buddhafields, the guides proclaim your glory.
Having heard this, the sons of the victorious ones²⁷
Arrived here,²⁸ overjoyed to worship you, O Sage,
You, the one endowed with an ocean of qualities. {15}

“Having thus worshiped you in a way befitting a sugata,
They listen to the immaculate Dharma from you, great Sage,
Praise your garland of qualities,
And return to their respective buddhafields with their minds overjoyed. {16}

“While you were seeking supreme, excellent enlightenment,
You acted for the sake of sentient beings,
Over inconceivable, myriad²⁹ eons.
Without your mind ever becoming exhausted, {17}

“O guide, you practiced generosity and discipline,
You trained in patience, diligence, and meditative absorption, and
You perfected insight, skillful means, and power—
Therefore, I pay homage to you, the great guide. {18}

1.7

“You are skilled in the bases of magical power and in excellent superknowledge,
Your sense faculties are trained in strengths and liberation,
And you have internalized the conduct for all sentient beings—
I pay homage to you, ocean of unequaled wisdom. {19}

“Bhagavān, supreme one among men,
You know the mindstreams of sentient beings very well,
What their conduct is, and how their karma arises.
You know by which methods they will be liberated. {20}

“And you eliminate desire and hatred, which have ignorance as their origin,³⁰
And which causes sentient beings go to the three lower realms.
You know the karma by which they may go to the higher realms—
The right and the wrong karma performed by living beings. {21}

“You know all the sugatas—
Those who were benefactors for the world in the past,
Those who are worshiped by gods and humans in the present,
And the future ones who will have perfected supreme virtues. {22}

“You know very well
The pure buddhafields and the excellent retinues
Of bodhisattvas and śrāvakas,
And the lifespans of all the great sages. {23}

“You know how the Dharma will remain after you have entered nirvāṇa,
How the Victorious One’s relics will be praised,
And how the Dharma treasure will be preserved.
All of this is known by you, the most excellent of men. {24}

“Homage to you, Victorious One, ocean of wisdom,
Who has always—through the three times³¹—realized the wisdom of one who has the ten strengths,
Who has no obscurations,
And who is not attached to any phenomenon. {25}

“There is no one equal to you, let alone anyone superior.
Your body is thoroughly adorned with the buddha marks,
Like the sky adorned with stars.
I pay homage to you, the supreme one among men, supreme sage. {26}

“Even your bodily form is unequaled and captivating,
Outshining beings, including the gods.
Brahmā, Śakra, and the Akaniṣṭha gods
Do not seem beautiful in your presence. {27}

“You are stainless like the golden mountain,
And the hair³² on your head, glossy and smooth, spirals clockwise.
The uṣṇīṣa on your head produced by your extensive merit
Shines vividly like Mount Meru, the king of mountains. {28}

“The beautiful hair tuft between your eyebrows
Radiates myriad light rays.

1.8

Your eyes, with which you regard beings with compassionate intent,
Are as captivating as the blue lotus. {29}

“Your face, O guide,
Is as bright as the full moon in the clear sky.
People cannot get enough of seeing you—
I pay homage to the supreme one among men with the handsome face. {30}

“Your gait is like that of a goose, of a peacock,
And that of the king of deer.
Walking slowly like a confident elephant, you cause the earth to tremble.
I pay homage to you, one who is steadfast in the ten strengths and firm observance. {31}

“The fingers on your hands are long, round, beautiful,
And adorned with webbing in between, and your fingernails are the color of pure copper.
When you stand up, your hands reach your knees.
I pay homage to you, whose body is of golden color. {32}

“When walking, you adorn the ground with beautiful footprints,
Embellished with the marks of wheels.
Ripened by the light rays shining from your footprints,
People go to the gods’ realm upon their deaths. {33}

“King of the Dharma, bestower of the seven riches,
Benefactor of the Dharma, having a tamed mind,
You teach beings through your Dharmic conduct.
I pay homage to the guide, master of the Dharma. {34}

“Your armor of loving kindness, your supreme sword of mindfulness,
Your bow of discipline, and your arrows of insight and skillful means
Completely destroy the enemies—
Afflictions that increase the craving for birth, death, and existence. {35}

“Having gone beyond, you liberate myriad beings;
Being liberated, you liberate the world from its chains.
You also show the path that is delightful and without sickness,
And on which the sugatas go to a state of peace. {36}

“Out of compassion, you teach
This unconditioned peaceful supreme state,
In which there is neither birth nor death,
Nor the occurrence of suffering from deprivation. {37}

“May beings become completely enlightened through the merit
I have gathered by praising the Victorious One,
Who has crossed over to the other side through having mastered all phenomena,
Who is the great sage, the supreme one in this world.” {38}

Then, having praised the Bhagavān with these verses, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla joined his palms.

1.9

Rising from his seat, he draped his upper garment over one shoulder and placed his right knee on the ground. He then bowed toward the Bhagavān with joined hands and made a request to the Bhagavān, “If you, Bhagavān, allowed me the opportunity to approach you with a question, I would like to ask you, the bhagavān, the tathāgata, the arhat, the perfect and complete Buddha, about certain issues.”

Having thus been petitioned, the Bhagavān said to the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, “Rāṣṭrapāla, ask whatever you like! I will please your mind by clarifying whatever questions you may have.”

Having said these words, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla asked the Bhagavān, “Bhagavān, how many qualities has a bodhisattva mahāsattva—one who obtains the excellence of all qualities and virtues, who obtains knowledge not depending on others, who gains swift insight, who obtains the ascertainment of eloquence, who obtains illumination, who realizes omniscience, who causes beings to ripen, who eliminates doubt, who eliminates desire, who obtains the ascertainment of omniscience, who is skillful in guiding beings, who acts as he speaks, whose speech is based on genuine intentions, who is skillful in dealing with all sentient beings, who attains the recollection of the Buddha, who asks all questions, who retains all Dharma teachings, and who swiftly obtains omniscience?”

Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla uttered the following verses:

“May the supreme one among men, the Victorious One,
Give me a precise discourse, an ocean of wisdom,
On how to properly ascertain
The conduct of a bodhisattva, which arises from truth. {39}

“You are like a body of perfectly pure gold.

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You are an excellent being who has accumulated supreme merit.
You are the refuge, the place of rest, and the protector—
Explain to me today the stainless, supreme conduct of a bodhisattva. {40}

“How does one obtain the inexhaustible wisdom,
The source of retention, of immortality, and of enlightenment?
How is the ocean of insight purified,
By which means you eradicate people’s doubts? {41}

“While wandering in saṃsāra for many millions of eons,
You never grew discouraged—
Even when looking at the world, troubled by sufferings—
And performed virtue for its sake. {42}

“Please explain the pure buddhafield, the excellent retinue,
The supreme lifespan, the excellent field itself,
The unsurpassed discourse for the benefit of sentient beings,
And the stainless conduct of a bodhisattva. {43}

“You, one who conquers Māra, who purifies wrong views,
Who dries up craving, who causes the attainment of liberation,
Jewel among sentient beings, please teach the supreme conduct,
So that the way of the Dharma will not be forgotten. {44}

“You, one who is endowed with excellent appearance, wealth, and eloquence,
Who satisfies the assembly with a gentle voice,
And who satisfies the world like a rain cloud—
O Sugata, thoroughly reveal the experiential sphere of buddhas. {45}

“You, one who speaks with a pleasant voice like that of the kalaviṅka bird,
Who—with a melodious Brahmā voice—destroys vile thoughts,
As this Dharma-seeking assembly has gathered,
O Lord, satiate us with the taste of the ambrosia. {46}

“I long for supreme, excellent enlightenment,
And it is inappropriate to turn away those longing for the Dharma.
Now is the time for teaching, O guide;
The time has come to proclaim, O excellent jewel. {47}

“I hope for enlightenment, O Sage!
The Victorious One truly understands my intentions.
I am not deceiving the Victorious One; I am genuinely interested!
Please explain the genuine conduct.” {48}

Having thus been petitioned, the Bhagavān said the following to the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla: “You are right, Rāṣṭrapāla! You, Rāṣṭrapāla, have gone forth for the benefit of many living beings. And it is good that you, Rāṣṭrapāla,

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have well considered this topic you queried Tathāgata about, for the happiness of many people, for the sake and benefit of gods and men, and so that I will take care of the bodhisattva mahāsattvas present and future. Therefore, Rāṣṭrapāla, listen closely and keep it in your mind! I will explain it to you.” The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla answered, “Very well, Bhagavān!” and as he listened carefully to each of the Bhagavān’s words, the Bhagavān uttered the following words to him:

“Rāṣṭrapāla, a bodhisattva mahāsattva endowed with four qualities attains the following types of purity. What are these four? They are making efforts in accordance with beings’ aspirations and highest intent, being impartial toward all sentient beings, meditating on emptiness, and acting just as one speaks. Rāṣṭrapāla, if bodhisattva mahāsattvas are endowed with these four qualities, they will attain purity. This is how it is. In this regard, the following is said:

“Those endowed with infinite wisdom
Always possess diligence out of sincere intentions.
Having a mind that does not turn away from the path to enlightenment,
They are neither deceitful, nor rigid, nor deceptive. {49}

“Seeing the suffering of beings without a protector,
Afflicted by birth, sickness, old age, and death,
They excellently prepare a Dharma boat
To rescue sentient beings from the ocean of existence. {50}

“Gentle ones with equanimity toward all sentient beings
Look at beings as if they were their only son;
‘I will free all of them’—
Such is the intention of supreme persons. {51}

“They always perfectly understand emptiness,
That there is neither self nor sentient being,
And that the conditioned is like an illusion or a dream.
The childish, not being skilled, are confused about these things. {52}

“The skilled ones strive,
And fully abide by what they say.
The sons of the victorious ones are always tamed, peaceful, without faults,
And delighted in the path to enlightenment. {53}

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“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four influences that inspire bodhisattvas. What are these four? They are attaining retention, finding a spiritual friend, being receptive to the profound Dharma, and the correct application of completely pure discipline. Raṣṭrapāla, these are the four influences that inspire bodhisattvas. This is how it is. About that, it is said:

“Those of great renown possess retention,
By which they behold the supreme Dharma that all buddhas have proclaimed.
Because they never lose it, their intellect increases.
They possess wisdom, lack attachment, and have mastered all qualities. {54}

“They have found a spiritual friend who causes the branches of enlightenment to grow.
The guides show them the supreme path for progress.
They do not attend to nefarious friends
But turn far away from them like from a scorching fire. {55}

“Once the heroes have heard the profound teaching on emptiness,
They never generate any view of a self, a sentient being, or a life force.
Their discipline is faultless, and they are endowed with a tame and peaceful mind.
Living beings are encouraged to take up the unsurpassable discipline of the Buddha as well. {56}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are the qualities that cause delight in the bodhisattvas dwelling in saṃsāra. What are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, seeing the Buddha is a quality that causes delight in the bodhisattvas dwelling in saṃsāra. Rāṣṭrapāla, hearing appropriate instructions is a quality that causes delight in the bodhisattvas dwelling in saṃsāra. Rāṣṭrapāla, complete abandonment of possessions is a quality that causes delight in the bodhisattvas dwelling in saṃsāra, and, Rāṣṭrapāla, being receptive to the Dharma of non-apprehension is a quality that causes delight in the bodhisattvas dwelling in saṃsāra. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are things that cause delight in the bodhisattvas dwelling in saṃsāra.

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This is how it is. About this, the following is said:

“In every lifetime, they see the perfect buddhas, the supreme ones among men,
Who fully illuminate the whole world with their splendor.
When seeking supreme, excellent enlightenment for the sake of liberating beings,
They abide in delight and devotion; thus, they worship the lord of men, the Victorious One. {57}

“They listen to the peaceful and harmonious Dharma from the guides.
Having heard it, they practice it with firm intention, steadily and properly.
Hearing the Dharma of non-apprehension, no doubt arises about the fact
That all things are without existence³³ and lack a self. {58}

“They fully renounce all their possessions and acquire nothing.
Conscious of having become beggars, their minds are very pleased.
They renounce everything—villages, kingdoms, lands, lives, children, and wives—
And their minds never waver. {59}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, bodhisattvas should have no concern for four things. What are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, bodhisattvas should have no concern for living in households. Rāṣṭrapāla, having become renunciants, bodhisattvas should have no concern for gain or honor. Rāṣṭrapāla, bodhisattvas should not be concerned with becoming acquainted with householders. And Rāṣṭrapāla, bodhisattvas should have no concern for their bodies or lives. Rāṣṭrapāla, for these four things bodhisattvas should have no concern. This is how it is. About this, the following is said:

“Having renounced the household with its boundless thicket of faults,³⁴ they never have any concern for wealth.
These gentle ones, endowed with such qualities, will take delight in the forest, with their senses under control.
Wherever they are, they will not draw close to women or men.
Like rhinoceroses, they dwell in solitude with a pure, immaculate, stainless intention. {60}

“They do not delight in profit, and do not feel disheartened if they receive nothing.
Having few desires, they take pleasure in bare necessities, and they have rejected deceit and hypocrisy.
Their minds endowed with diligence for the sake of sentient beings, they are steeped in generosity and spiritual discipline.

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Having perfected meditative absorption, diligence, and qualities, they strive for buddha wisdom. {61}

“Having no concern for either body or life, and having abandoned beloved relatives,
They steadily practice the path to enlightenment, with intention firm as a diamond.
Even if their bodies were cut into pieces, their minds would not waver.
Hoping for omniscience, they steadily exert themselves in diligence. {62}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four things that cause bodhisattvas to be free from distress. What are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, unimpaired discipline is something that causes bodhisattvas to be free from distress. Rāṣṭrapāla, not giving up life in the forest is something that causes bodhisattvas to be free from distress. Rāṣṭrapāla, following the four noble lineages is something that causes bodhisattvas to be free from distress. And Rāṣṭrapāla, obtaining great erudition is something that causes bodhisattvas to be free from distress. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are things that cause bodhisattvas to be free from distress. This is how it is. About this, the following is said:

“Inducing desire for this genuine discipline of the buddhas,
Protecting flawless discipline like a precious jewel,
They do not think, ‘I am endowed with discipline and well restrained.’
And they always connect living beings to this very discipline. {63}

“Living in desolate forests at all times,
They have no notion of either a self or a life force.
Perceiving all forms as being like grass, wood, or stone,
They see that there are neither attendants, nor wives, nor possessions. {64}

“They rejoice in the four noble lineages and lack deceit and hypocrisy.
Conscientious and resolute in mind, they fully engage in practice.
Constantly making effort in erudition and qualities,
They strive for the great power of the Sugata’s qualities. {65}

“Having seen the helpless wanderers defeated by birth, aging, and death
And oppressed by illness in this prison of existence,
They liberate beings from the waves of the ocean of existence
By preparing the boat of the peaceful, highest, and excellent Dharma. {66}

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“There is no other refuge and protector for those
Who wander in the conditioned realms of the world.³⁵
‘I will completely liberate all those beings’:
For this reason, I make this aspiration prayer for the highest enlightenment. {67}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four points that bodhisattvas should know to be states of noble ones.³⁶ What are these four? They are obtaining the higher realms—that is to say, meeting with buddhas that appear; serving the gurus—that is to say, tending to them with minds free from worldly concerns; taking delight in remote dwellings—that is to say, without having concern for gain or honor; and obtaining courage—that is to say, being receptive to the profound. Rāṣṭrapāla, bodhisattvas should know that these four points are states of noble ones. This is how it is. About this, the following is said:

“These resolute ones always live in wildwoods and ravines.
They never strive for gain in any way.
With minds free from desire, they are constantly endowed with courage.
They are skilled in the profound Dharma and free from mental elaboration. {68}

“They serve the gurus continuously, uninterruptedly.
They act just as they speak.
They please an unfathomable number of sugatas.
They worship extensively for the sake of the wisdom of the victorious ones. {69}

“The highest realm is for those of noble intent.³⁷
They have arrived at the forefront of gods and humans.
They always lead sentient beings on the path to enlightenment,
And introduce them perfectly to the ten virtues. {70}

“Having heard of the Buddha’s qualities, they become delighted,
Thinking, ‘We will reach those shortly.’
Having awakened to immaculate, perfect enlightenment,
They think, ‘We will liberate billions of sentient beings from limitless suffering.’ {71}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four things that thoroughly purify the enlightened conduct of bodhisattvas. What are these four?

1.16

The conduct of a bodhisattva, for those whose minds are without hostility, is as follows: For those who have abandoned hypocrisy, flattery, and extortion of property, it consists in dwelling in the forest. For those who have renounced all possessions, it consists in having no expectations concerning ripening. It further consists in longing for the Dharma day and night, and in not looking for the faults in those who teach the Dharma. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are the things that thoroughly purify the enlightened conduct of bodhisattvas.”

Then, the Bhagavān uttered the following verses:

“Longing for unsurpassable enlightenment,
Without rigidity, impurity, or a hostile mind,
They do not look for faults in anyone else.
They are without deceit, hypocrisy, or conceptualizing minds. {72}

“With the dangerous mentality of a householder, the root of suffering,
Some associate with bad people and stray far from the right path.
Those who seek liberation abandon it without hesitation;
They go forth and make the mountain solitude their home. {73}

“As they confine themselves to various remote forests,
They do not rely on making a profit from their knowledge.
They give regard neither to their bodies nor health.
And, poised like lions, they overcome their enemies. {74}

“Seeking wisdom for the sake of the path to enlightenment,
They are content no matter what happens.
And without leaving a trace, like a bird,
They do not linger anywhere in the world. {75}

“They stay alone like a rhinoceros,
And are fearless like a lion.
Like a deer they fear sticking to one place.
They do not grow proud because of praise. {76}

“Upon having seen that this world has fallen into an abyss,
They strive to rescue it.
They think, ‘If I carefully practice virtue,
I, too, will become a protector of this world.’ {77}

“Striving for this conduct of the supreme ones among men,
With a friendly smile, they speak in a pleasant way.
Their minds are never troubled by the pleasant or unpleasant.
They remain without attachment, like the wind. {78}

“Confident in emptiness and in the absence of characteristics,
They conceive all conditioned phenomena to be like illusions.
Finding pleasure in peacefulness and self-restraint, and being open-minded,
They are always satisfied by the taste of ambrosia. {79}

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“Doing whatever it takes to accomplish the path to enlightenment,
They constantly purify their intent.
Seeking retention and eloquence,
They desire virtue and endure hundreds of sufferings. {80}

“Whoever exerts themselves will be delighted
Upon observing such bodhisattva conduct.
Whoever dislikes enlightenment
Is of inferior intellect and commits hundreds of faults.” {81}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four pitfalls for bodhisattvas. What are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, disrespect is a pitfall for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, being ungrateful and dishonest is a pitfall for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, attachment to gain and honor is a pitfall for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, obtaining gain and honor by means of hypocrisy and flattery is a pitfall for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are the pitfalls for bodhisattvas.”

Then, the Bhagavān uttered the following verses:

“They never have respect
For the noble gurus or their parents.
They are ungrateful and dishonest;
Never curbing their behavior, they are deluded. {82}

“Always being attached and clinging to gain,
They enjoy cheating and dishonesty.
Those who keep moral observances in any way they like
Say, ‘There is no one like me!’ {83}

“They are hostile toward each other;
Always eager to find faults.
They rejoice in farming and trading.
They are very far away from having the qualities of an ascetic. {84}

“Not restraining themselves in this manner in the future,
They will be very far away from the qualities of a monk’s discipline.
By exposing faults out of rancor and jealousy,
They will cause the Dharma to decline. {85}

“They are always very far from the path to enlightenment.
They are very far from the treasure of the noble ones.
Having abandoned the excellent noble path,
They will wander in the five realms of existence.” {86}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four things that obstruct the enlightenment of bodhisattvas.

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What are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, laziness is something that obstructs the enlightenment of bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, lack of faith is something that obstructs the enlightenment of bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, pride is something that obstructs the enlightenment of bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, entertaining jealous and avaricious thoughts when others are honored is something that obstructs the enlightenment of bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are the things that obstruct the enlightenment of bodhisattvas.”

Then, the Bhagavān uttered the following verses:

“Lacking faith, being lazy, and always deluded,
They are self-conceited and constantly enraged.
When they see a monk who is always patient and exerts himself,
They hit him with sticks as he leaves the monastery. {87}

“Feeling envy because others are honored,
Their minds are not at rest.
Being opportunity seekers and fault finders,
They think, ‘I will accuse the one who has faults.’ {88}

“They are far away from this teaching of mine;
They hate good qualities and are on their way to lower realms.
Having abandoned the teaching of the Victorious One,
They go to the extremely horrific, blazing lower realms. {89}

“Having heard about their bad conduct
And improper, exceedingly evil way of living here, ³⁸
Always practice uninterruptedly the path to enlightenment.
Beware—you are sure to be reborn and suffer in the lower realms! {90}

“A buddha, a great sage who benefits the world,
Will appear only once in many millions of eons.
Now that you have arrived at this excellent and unique moment,
Renounce your carelessness if you desire liberation!” {91}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four persons that a bodhisattva should not attend to. Who are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, a bodhisattva should not attend to a person who is a nefarious friend. Rāṣṭrapāla, a bodhisattva should not attend to a person who entertains an objectifying view. Rāṣṭrapāla, a bodhisattva

1.19

should not attend to a person who abandons the true Dharma. And Rāṣṭrapāla, a bodhisattva should not attend to a person who craves material things. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are the persons that a bodhisattva should not attend to.”

Then, the Bhagavān uttered the following verses:

“Those who avoid nefarious friends
And turn to virtuous friends
Always progress on the path to enlightenment,
Like the waxing moon in the sky. {92}

“Those who seek the wisdom of a buddha
Always avoid, like a pot of poison,
Those who constantly cling to an objectifying view,
And who cling to self, vitality, and sustenance. {93}

“Those who desire to awaken to genuine enlightenment
Avoid, like a pot of vomit,
Those who reject the Dharma of the supreme ones among men,
Which is peaceful, passionless, and ambrosia-like.³⁹ {94}

“They do not associate with those
Who are attached to material things, bowls, and robes,
And who always seek to mingle with householders.
They avoid them like a pit of fire. {95}

“Those who wish to tame Māra,
To turn the excellent, unsurpassed wheel,
And to likewise accomplish the benefit of beings
Should avoid nefarious friends. {96}

“Those who desire awakening to genuine enlightenment
Abandon gain, pleasant and unpleasant,
As well as fame, calumny, jealousy, and ego,
And constantly seek the wisdom of a buddha.” {97}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four things that result in suffering for bodhisattvas. What are these four? Rāṣṭrapāla, conceit due to knowledge is something that results in suffering for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, a jealous and avaricious mind is something that results in suffering for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, lack of devotion is something that results in suffering for bodhisattvas.

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Rāṣṭrapāla, seeking out enjoyments based on knowing and enduring impure things is something that results in suffering for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four are the things that result in suffering for bodhisattvas.”

Then, the Bhagavān uttered the following verses:

“When the ignorant ones despise
Those who uphold the Dharma on earth
And are worshiped by all beings,
They will encounter limitless suffering. {98}

“These wicked ones—who are always filled with pride
And do not bow down to the gurus, the noble beings—
Look for riches
And always desire impure knowledge. {99}

“Those who have a negative mindset and are directed toward the three lower realms
Have no devotion to the Buddha,
Dharma, and Saṅgha.
They are not devoted to training and practice. {100}

“Having transmigrated from here, the human abode,
These unskillful, foolish ones, through their actions,
Undergo suffering in the realms of hell, animals,
Or hungry ghosts. {101}

“The heroes of men, whose intelligence is a light for the world,⁴⁰
Who terminated suffering,
Abandon the paths toward lower realms,
And will always follow the path toward enlightenment.” {102}

“Rāṣṭrapāla, four things are fetters for bodhisattvas. What are these four? Despising others is a fetter for bodhisattvas. Engaging in meditation by worldly methods and forming notions about characteristics are a fetter for bodhisattvas. Staying close to someone whose mind clings to everything, who lacks wisdom, and who is careless is a fetter for bodhisattvas. Associating with householders with mental attachments is a fetter for bodhisattvas. Rāṣṭrapāla, these four things are fetters for bodhisattvas.”

Then, the Bhagavān uttered the following verses:

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