T243 Esoteric Texts

Chapter VII

Clarifying Distinctions

of Time

"'O great brahman, I shall now further explain the lengths of the divisions of daytime and nighttime and the seasons. You should listen carefully. "'In winter, in the eleventh month, the day is the shortest. In dividing daytime and nighttime, there are thirty muhūrta. 46 [On the shortest day] daytime

has twelve muhūrtaand nighttime eighteen muhūrta.On the day of the summer solstice in the fifth month, daytime has eighteen muhūrtaand nighttime twelve muhūrta. In the eighth month and the second month, daytime and nighttime are equal. From the fifth month the days grow shorter and the nights longer until the eleventh month, [whereafter] the nights grow shorter and the days longer until the fifth month. The lengthening and shortening of days and nights is such that they either grow longer by one muhūrtaor grow shorter by one muhūrta.

"'The first day of a lunar month begins from the first day of a new moon, and the months begin from the first day of the second month. 47 The seasons

begin with spring.

"'I shall further explain the divisions of the kṣaṇa.The time that a woman spinning yarn takes to obtain a length of one span [of yarn] is called a kṣaṇa of time.

48 Sixty kṣaṇaare called one lava,and thirty lavaare called one hour (i.e., muhūrta). This hour is one division (i.e., muhūrta) of the day. In all, thirty muhūrtamake up one day and night. These thirty muhūrtaeach have a name. "'The muhūrtawhen the sun first rises is called "four months. "49 When

the sun first rises on the first day of the second month a person's shadow is ninety-six spans long. In the second [muhūrta] the shadow is sixty spans long. The third is called "wealth" and the shadow is twelve spans long. The fourth is called "house" and the shadow is six spans long. The fifth is called "great wealth" and the shadow is five spans long. The sixth is called "three circles" and the shadow is four spans long. The seventh is called "face to 85

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face" and the shadow is three spans long. The eighth is called "together" and in the middle of the day the shadow is equal to [the height of] a person. The ninth is called "foot" and the shadow is three spans long. The tenth is called "force" and the shadow is four spans long. The eleventh is called "victory" and the shadow is five spans long. The twelfth is "very firm" and the shadow is six spans long. The thirteenth is " vasu

"and the shadow is twelve spans long. The fourteenth is "handsome" and the shadow is sixty spans long. The fifteenth is "fiendish" and the shadow is ninety-six spans long. These are the names of the fifteen muhūrtain a single day [during the daytime]. "'[The muhūrta] at sunset is called "wicked. " The second [muhūrta at

night] is called "appearance of stars. " The third is called "control. " The fourth

is called "tranquility.

" The fifth is called "boundless. " The sixth is called

"sudden.

" The seventh is called "

rākṣasa.

"The eighth is called "sleep. " The

ninth is called "brahmā.

"The tenth is called "diti.

"The eleventh is "bird's

cry.

" The twelfth is called "ability. " The thirteenth is called "fire. " The fourteenth is "shadow's foot. " The fifteenth is "close to a settlement. " These are

the names of the thirty muhūrta of daytime and nighttime. Thirty of these muhūrtaare called one day and night. Thirty days and nights are called one month. Twelve of these months are called one year. "'O great brahman, I shall now further explain the method for measuring time. The time it takes for a person to blink is called one lava.Four of these lavaare called one kāṣṭhā.Forty kāṣṭhāare called one kalā.Thirty kalāare called one nāḍikā.

50 Two of these nāḍikāare called one muhūrta.For [measuring] one nāḍikā, fill [a water pot] with five pints of water and place a round tube four inches [in length, made of] gold and [weighing] six scruples, below the pot, and when the five pints of water have passed through this tube, this is called one nāḍikā. 51 I have finished explaining this method of [measuring] time.

"'Now I shall explain the method for [measuring] the units of distance and the yojana.Seven atoms (paramāṇu) are called one particle (aṇu). Seven particles are called one dust mote (vātāyana-rajas). Seven dust motes constitute one hare's hair (śaśaka-rajas). Seven hare's hairs are called one sheep's hair (eḍaka-rajas). Seven sheep's hairs are called one cow's hair (go-rajas). 52

Seven cow's hairs are called one nit (yūkā). Seven nits are called one louse (likṣā). Seven lice are called one barleycorn (yava). Seven barleycorns are 86

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called one fingerbreadth (aṅguli). Twelve fingerbreadths are called one vitasti (handspan). Two vitastiare called one cubit (hasta). Four cubits are called one bow (dhanu). One thousand bows are called one cry (krośa). 53 Four cries

are called one yojana.

"'I shall now further explain the weights of the units of weight. Twelve barleycorns are called one soybean.

54 Sixteen soybeans are called [one karṣa,

a weight of] suvarṇa (gold), which is twelve scruples in weight. Twentyfour scruples are called one ounce. Sixteen ounces are called one catty. Two ounces are called one pala(i.e., sixty-four beans). Two palaare called one handful. Two handfuls are called one scoop [with both hands]. Six scoops are called one prastha.Twenty-four palaare called a magadha-prastha.In this manner is the method for [measuring] the units of weight fully explained. "'O great brahman, I shall now further explain the relative severity of the sick when the moon is in [each of] the lunar mansions. You should listen carefully. Should someone fall ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Pleiades, he should make offerings of boiled rice mixed with curds to Fire (Agni), and then he will be cured in four days. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Net should make offerings of incense to Fire (Prajāpati), and he will be cured five days later. Should someone fall ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Turtle, he should make offerings of bean gruel to the moon (Soma), and then he will be cured in eight days. Should someone fall ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Orion, he should make offerings of milk gruel to the god of the crossroads [Rudra], and he will be cured in ten days. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Well should make offerings of fragrant flowers to the sun (Āditya), and he will be cured in eight days. Should someone fall ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Ghost, he should make offerings of flowers to Jupiter (Bṛhaspati), and he will be cured in five days. Those who fall ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Willow mostly die and are incurable. Someone who becomes ill when the moon is in the Seven Stars will have complications, and he should make offerings of sesamum gruel to his ancestors, whereupon he will be cured in eight days. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Drawn Bow should make offerings of fragrant flowers to the gods,

55 and then he will be cured in seven days. [Someone who falls ill] when the moon is in the lunar mansion Wing will deteriorate and 87

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be difficult to cure. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Cross Board should make offerings of fragrant flowers to the gods, and he will be cured in five days. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Horn should make offerings of bean gruel to the gods, and he will be cured in eight days. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Neck will deteriorate greatly and be difficult to treat for twentyfive days, whereupon he may be cured, and he should make offerings of flowers to the gods. Should someone become ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Base, he will be serious[ly ill] for nineteen days, whereupon he may be cured, and he should make offerings of flowers to the gods. Someone who becomes ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Room should for fifteen days make offerings of ghee to the gods, and then he may be cured. Should someone fall ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Heart, he will for twelve days56 be very serious[ly ill] and difficult to treat; he should make offerings of fragrant flowers to Śakra Devendra, and then he may be cured. Someone who falls ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Tail should for thirty days make offerings of sesamum to the gods, and then he may be cured. When the moon is in the lunar mansion Winnowing Basket, an illness will last for eight days, and one should make offerings of sesamum gruel to the water god [Āpas]. When the moon is in the lunar mansion Dipper, an illness will last for seven days, and one should make offerings of milk gruel to the gods. When the moon is in the lunar mansion Woman, an illness will be difficult to treat for twelve days; one should make offerings of flowers to the Mountain God, and then one may be cured. When the moon is in the lunar mansion Void, for thirteen days57 one should make offerings of ghee gruel and fragrant flowers to the gods. When the moon is in the lunar mansion Rooftop, an illness [will last] for thirteen days, and one should make offerings of ghee and milk gruel to the water god [Varuṇa]. Someone who becomes ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion House is difficult to treat. When the moon is in the lunar mansion Wall, an illness will last for seven days, and one should make offerings of flowers to the Kitchen God, whereafter one may be cured. Someone who becomes ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Astride will invariably [be ill] for twenty-eight days, and he should make offerings of fragrant flowers to the gods. Someone who becomes ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Mound will invariably [be ill] for 88

Chapter VII

twenty-five days, and he should make offerings of barley gruel to the gods, whereafter he may be cured. Someone who becomes ill when the moon is in the lunar mansion Stomach is difficult to treat. These are called the omens of the relative severity of illnesses when the moon is in [each of] the lunar mansions.

"'O great brahman, I shall now further explain the speed with which those who have been imprisoned or arrested when the moon is in [each of] the lunar mansions will be set free. Someone imprisoned or arrested when the moon is in the lunar mansion Pleiades will invariably be freed in three days. This is also the case for the lunar mansion Net. Someone arrested [when the moon is] in the asterism Turtle will be freed after twenty-one days. [Someone arrested when the moon is] in Orion will be freed after fifteen days, in the lunar mansion Well after seven days, in the lunar mansion Ghost after three days, in Willow after thirty days, in the Seven Stars after sixteen days, in the lunar mansion Drawn Bow after ten days, in the lunar mansion Wing after seven days, in the lunar mansion Cross Board after five days, in the lunar mansion Horn after seven days, in the lunar mansion Neck after ten days, in Base after twenty-six days, in Room after nineteen days, in Heart after eighteen days, in Tail after thirty-six days, in Winnowing Basket after fourteen days, and in the lunar mansions Dipper, Ox,

58 Woman, Void, Rooftop, House, Wall,

and Astride all after fourteen days. In the case of the lunar mansion Mound, it is [after] three days. It is difficult for someone arrested [when the moon is] in the lunar mansion Stomach to be freed. This is called the speed of [emancipation from] bondage and confinement when the moon is in [each of] the lunar mansions.

"'I shall now further explain the omens of moles. If a woman has a mark, purple in color, on her neck,

59 her husband will certainly be a king. If its color

is black and there is a matching [mark] between her breasts, her husband will be a general. If there is a mole between her eyebrows and a matching mark on her neck, she will go through five husbands and will not want for clothing and food. If there is a mole on her cheek and a matching mark on her back, she will be a lonely widow for many years and it will be difficult for her to win a husband. If there is a mole on her ear and a matching mark on her hip, she will have a good memory and will be very knowledgeable. If there is a mole on her upper lip and a matching mark on her hand, she will 409c

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be cheated by people. If there is a mole on her lower lip and a matching mark on her nether parts, she will be by nature very licentious and will not want for food and drink. If there is a mole on her chin and a matching [mark] on her nether parts, she will have naturally no lack of dainty food. "'O great brahman, I shall now further explain the conjunction of the moon with the lunar mansions.

60 When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion

Woman in the middle ten days of the sixth month and until [the new moon] is in the Seven Stars, during that month daytime has seventeen muhūrtaand nighttime thirteen muhūrta.At that time one should erect a gnomon of twelve cun and measure the shadow at midday—it will be five cun long. 61 When

the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion House in the middle ten days of the seventh month and until [the new moon] is in Wing, daytime has sixteen muhūrtaand nighttime fourteen muhūrta,and the shadow is eight cunlong. When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Mound in the middle ten days of the eighth month and until [the new moon] is in Neck, the shadow is thirteen cun, and the muhūrta of daytime and nighttime are both fifteen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Pleiades in the middle ten days of the ninth month and until [the new moon] is in Room, the shadow is fifteen cun, and daytime has fourteen muhūrta and nighttime sixteen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Turtle in the middle ten days of the tenth month and until [the new moon] is in Winnowing Basket, the shadow is eighteen cun,and daytime has thirteen muhūrtaand nighttime seventeen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Ghost in the middle ten days of the eleventh month and until [the new moon] is in Woman, the shadow in the middle [of the day] is twenty-one cun, and daytime has twelve muhūrtaand nighttime eighteen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the Seven Stars in the middle ten days of the twelfth month and until [the new moon] is in Rooftop, the shadow is eighteen cun,and daytime has thirteen muhūrta and nighttime seventeen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Wing in the middle ten days of the first month and until [the new moon] is in Astride, the shadow is fifteen cun, and daytime has fourteen muhūrtaand nighttime sixteen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Horn in the middle ten days of the second month and until [the new moon] is in Stomach, the shadow is thirteen cun,and daytime and nighttime have fifteen [muhūrta], making thirty muhūrta.When the [full] 90

Chapter VII

moon is in the lunar mansion Base in the middle ten days of the third month and until [the new moon] is in Net, the shadow in the middle [of the day] is ten cun,and daytime has sixteen muhūrtaand nighttime fourteen muhūrta. When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Heart in the middle ten days of the fourth month and until [the new moon] is in Orion, the shadow in the middle [of the day] is seven cun, and daytime has seventeen muhūrta and nighttime thirteen muhūrta.When the [full] moon is in the lunar mansion Winnowing Basket in the middle ten days of the fifth month and until [the new moon] is in Ghost, the shadow in the middle [of the day] is four cun, and daytime has eighteen muhūrta and nighttime twelve muhūrta.This is called the method of the moon's conjunction with the lunar mansions. "'I shall now further explain the essentials of intercalation. In nineteen years there are in all seven intercalations; there is a second intercalation every five years.

62 From the fifth month through to the tenth month the sun always moves south, and nighttime increases by one muhūrtaand daytime decreases by one muhūrta. From the eleventh month through to the fourth month it always moves north, and daytime grows by one muhūrta and nighttime decreases by one muhūrta.The waxing and waning of the shape of the moon are due to the distance or proximity of the sun.

"'The sun, moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn are the seven luminaries. Jupiter makes one orbit around the heavens only after twelve years; Saturn makes one orbit around the heavens in twenty-eight years; Venus makes one orbit around the heavens only after one and a half years; Mars makes one orbit around the heavens only after two years; and Mercury makes one orbit around the heavens in one year. In all, a year has three hundred and sixty-five days, in which the sun makes one orbit around the heavens; the moon makes one orbit around the heavens in thirty days. This is the method for reckoning the seven luminaries' orbits of the heavens. "'I shall now further explain those who are governed by the twenty-eight lunar mansions. The Pleiades govern emperors. Net governs all under heaven. Turtle governs open land and grand ministers. This is also the case with Orion and Well.

63 Willow governs nāgas, snakes, and those living in dependence on mountains. The Seven Stars govern those who cultivate sugarcane. Drawn Bow governs bandits. Wing governs the sedentary. The asterism Cross Board governs laymen inside city walls. Horn governs flying birds. Neck governs 91

Notes

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those who leave home [to become renunciants] and cultivate merit. Base governs water people as well as insects and animals. Room governs merchants and drivers. Those governed by the asterism Heart are as was explained for the Pleiades and Turtle. Tail governs travelers. Winnowing Basket governs riders. Dipper is as was explained above [for Winnowing Basket]. Ox governs those in the south and the red-robed. [Woman governs] bandits and jesters. Void governs the middling. Rooftop governs doctors and shamans. [House governs] those who mix together unguents. The asterism Wall only governs those able to make music. Astride governs those who travel by boat. Mound presides over horse dealers. Stomach governs cultivators. In this manner one distinguishes those affiliated to the constellations. '

"Thereupon Puṣkarasārin, having listened to this speech, praised the Mātaṅga: 'Good sir, good sir! What you say is true. I shall now marry my daughter to your son. There is no need for any money or goods [as a bride price]. The marriage may be performed.

'

"When the brahmans heard these words, they all grew angry and spoke these words: 'Why do you give your daughter to this lowly fellow?' "Thereupon Puṣkarasārin addressed his disciples, saying, 'The Dharma

is characterized by nonduality, and all are equal. You must not now engender thoughts of arrogance.

'

"He said to Triśaṅku,

'You may accept the water [of the marriage rite]. I shall give you my daughter.

'

"Then the Mātaṅga, having concluded the marriage, joyfully departed. "O monks, the Mātaṅga at the time was myself, Puṣkarasārin was Śāriputra, Śārdūlakarṇa was Ānanda, and the daughter at that time was the present nun Prakṛti. Because in days of yore they were once man and wife, her thoughts of love [for Ānanda] had not yet come to an end, and so now [in this life] she followed after him.

"

When [the Buddha] taught this sutra, sixty monks distanced themselves from impurity, rid themselves of defilement, and attained [the state of] an arhat, and the brahmans attained the purity of the Dharma eye. When the Buddha had finished teaching this sutra, King Prasenajit and the four groups [of practitioners] joyfully put it into practice.

[End of] Fascicle Two of the Mātaṅga Sutra

92

Notes

1 In the Sanskrit text the woman's name is given as Prakṛti, which appears in the Chinese translation of this chapter only in the chapter title. 2 The Chinese text has samanefor sumaneand samadhivardhāyija(?) for samabhivar dhāyitum.Otherwise the spell given here follows the Chinese transcription, which differs slightly from the Sanskrit text.

3 The meaning of this spell may be rendered literally as "constancy, non-lapsing, impropriety. " The editor of the Sanskrit text has emended anītiin the Sanskrit manuscripts to sunīti("good conduct").

4 Ṣaḍakṣarī-vidyā("six-syllable spell"). While this usually refers to the well-known mantra oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ,it is also the name of a longer formula, of which several versions are found in the Chinese canon; one of these is given below, but it is not clear why it is described as a "six-phrase" spell. 5 The Chinese transcription of this spell differs somewhat from the Sanskrit text, and the reconstruction given here is purely tentative. No translation has been given since it would be largely conjectural, but the Sanskrit version (as established by the editor of the Sanskrit text) may be quoted for the sake of comparison: aṇḍare pāṇḍare kāraṇḍe keyūre

'

rcihaste kharagrīve bandhumati vīramati dhara vidha cilimile viloḍaya viṣāṇi loke, viṣa cala cala, golamati gaṇḍavile cilimile sāti nimne yathāsaṃvibhaktagolamati gaṇḍavilāyai svāhā. 6 Though the Chinese translation has "Lion's Ear" for Śārdūlakarṇa, it could be more appropriately rendered as "Tiger's Ear,

" as it is in the other Chinese translation. A

tiger was believed to be able to differentiate various sounds with its ears, and so the word śārdūlakarṇawas also used to describe a wise person. 7 The text has dayu("Great Giver"), but this should probably be emended to the variant reading huoyu.

8 Sanskrit nikūjita,from ni√kūj,

"to warble" or "to moan, groan.

" The Chinese translators

appear to have taken it in the latter sense, but it should presumably be taken in the former meaning.

9 Nandana is the name of the divine garden in Indra's realm. 10 Carrying a club shaped like a bedpost and wearing rags is one of the penances described in the Laws of Manufor someone who has violated his teacher's marriage bed, while 93

The Mātaṅga Sutra

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 carrying the skull of a corpse as a sign of one's crime is one of the penances for a murderer.

This view of the origins of the four castes goes back to the "Hymn of Man" ("Puruṣasūkta") in the Ṛgveda (10.90), according to which Puruṣa, the primeval male, was dismembered in a Vedic sacrifice, with his mouth becoming the brahman, his arms the kṣatriya,his thighs the vaiśya,and his feet the śūdra. In the Sanskrit text the fourth son is called Śatāyus,

"Centenarian.

"

Here and below "division" (fen) presumably means "branch" or "school" (cf. Skt. śākhā).

"Good Path" is possibly a translation of adhvaryu,a type of priest who recited the hymns of the Yajurveda, based on a mistaken association with adhvan, "road.

"

It is unclear how "Dove-seeker" might be connected with the probable Sanskrit equivalent Kratu. While the total of the number of branches or schools of each of the Vedas given in the Chinese text does not amount to one thousand two hundred and sixteen, this figure coincides with the total number of branches of all four Vedas given in the Sanskrit text, made up of twenty-five for the Ṛgveda,one thousand and eighty for the Sāmaveda, one hundred and one for the Yajurveda,and ten for the Atharvaveda.Traditionally there are said to have been one thousand one hundred and thirty-one branches of the Vedas: twenty-one for the Ṛgveda,one thousand for the Sāmaveda,one hundred and one for the Yajurveda,and nine for the Atharvaveda.

Vasiṣṭha is one of the seven Vedic sages; his wife was called Arundhatī. Dvaipāyana is a name of Vyāsa, said to have compiled the Mahābhārata.Also known as Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana because of his dark (kṛṣṇa) complexion. His mother, Satyavatī, was the daughter of a fisherman.

The second of the five Pāṇḍava brothers (whose struggles with the Kauravas for supremacy over the land of Kurukṣetra constitute the central theme of the great Hindu epic, the Mahābhārata). It is possible that Bhīṣma, rather than Bhīma, is meant here; Bhīṣma, one of the main characters in the Mahābhārata,was known for his wisdom, bravery, and loyalty.

The son of Jamadagni and Reṇukā is usually known as Paraśurāma, "Rāma-withthe-Axe,

" and is regarded as the sixth avatāra,or incarnation, of Viṣṇu; he is to be distinguished from the hero of the Rāmāyaṇa, who is regarded as Viṣṇu's seventh avatāra.The following story of Paraśurāma and his mother is not found in the Sanskrit text nor, it would seem, elsewhere in Sanskrit literature. The Sanskrit equivalents of the third and fourth sacrifices are śāmyaprāśa("wedgethrow") and nirargaḍa ("unimpeded"), which are frequently mentioned in lists of brahmanical sacrifices.

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Notes

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 This explanation suggests an etymological link between kṣatriyaand kṣetra("field"), whereas kṣatriyaderives from kṣatra("dominion, power").

The Sanskrit text derives brāhmaṇa(brahman) from bahirmanaska, "outward-minded,

"

because his mind (manas) was turned outside (bahir) society, which he had left behind. The Sanskrit text has mātaṅgama,which suggests that the author may have understood the word mātaṅgato be derived from mā tvaṃ gamaḥ,

"Don't you go [back to society]!"

According to the Sanskrit text, each of the seven clans (gotra) is again divided into seven, and the second subdivision of the seventh Māṇḍavya clan is called Dhaumrāyaṇa, a patronymic deriving from Dhūmra ("Smoky"). The clan names given here correspond to the patronymics of seven legendary seers from which these clans are said to have been descended. Various enumerations of the founders of the seven primeval clans are found in religious literature.

A reference to the Sāvitrī,a verse addressed to Savitṛ, god of the rising and setting sun. It is in the gāyatrīmeter of twenty-four syllables, consisting of three octosyllabic lines, and the verse (the first of those given below in the text) is taken from Ṛgveda 3.62.10. It is often prefixed (as in the present instance) by oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ,a formula taken from the Yajurveda.Also known as the Gāyatrī,this is one of the most sacred verses in Hinduism. The present text gives a different Sāvitrīfor each of the four castes, but the sources of the second through fourth are unclear (although alternative versions of the Sāvitrīare known for kṣatriyas and vaiśyas). The reconstruction of the Chinese transcription of this line is uncertain (gambhīra tatra hi[tatrāpi?] rata. . .), and the Sanskrit version as established by the editor of the Sanskrit text has been given instead.

The reconstruction athaṃis uncertain and the meaning unclear. The Sanskrit manuscripts have ahaṃ("I"), which is, however, at variance with the third-person singular endings of the verbs jīvedand paśyed.This version of the Sāvitrīmay possibly hark back to Ṛgveda7.66.16.

The Chinese translation "Three Nothings" suggests that Ātreya may have been interpreted as deriving from a-traya("not-three"). Kāleya is, strictly speaking, the name of a school rather than the name of an individual. The Chinese text gives the Chinese equivalents of the twenty-eight lunar mansions rather than Chinese translations of their Sanskrit names, and the English translations represent the probable meanings of the Chinese names (with the corresponding Sanskrit names added in parentheses).

The second question about the appearance of each lunar mansion concerns the shape suggested by the stars making up the corresponding asterism. The third question 95

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33 34 35 36 37 38 39 about how long the lunar mansions are together with the moon concerns the length of time the moon takes to travel across each lunar mansion, and this reflects the spatial extent of each lunar mansion and is not uniform (see also note 34). The sixth question about lineages or clans (gotra) concerns the lineage associated with each lunar mansion, possibly those lineages or schools specializing in the study of each lunar mansion. The Sanskrit text has Vāśiṣṭha (for Vāsiṣṭha), which the Chinese translators appear to have associated with √vas,

"to dwell, live.

" In the Sanskrit text, the clan of the preceding lunar mansion, which in the Chinese text is also "Settled, " is given as

Hāritāyanīya.

This summary of the spatial extent of the lunar mansions in terms of the length of time spent by the moon in each is at variance with the figures given in the foregoing paragraphs. A confusing aspect of the Chinese translation is the seemingly inconsistent use of the word "day" (ri). In this summary it must be taken in the sense of "daytime" as opposed to "nighttime,

" which results in a sidereal month of 27.75 days, only

slightly longer than its actual length of 27.32166 days. (The figures given in the Sanskrit text result in a sidereal month of 27.7 days.) In the foregoing paragraphs, on the other hand,

"day" means "daytime" only in the phrase "one day and one night"; otherwise it would appear to signify a full day and night, which results in a sidereal month of about twenty-eight days.

Judging from the Sanskrit text and the fact that Turtle appears twice, this is probably an error for Cross Board.

Though the Chinese translation here and below has "when the moon leaves the lunar mansion. . . ,

" the Sanskrit text would suggest that this should be understood to mean "when the moon is in the lunar mansion. . . .

"

The passage on the asterism Ox is missing in the Chinese translation, and it is also missing in most of the subsequent sections. This would suggest that the Sanskrit text on which the Chinese translation was based may have followed the system of twentyseven lunar mansions. This could possibly also be construed as "

. . . in summer when the moon is in the

Pleiades,

" but it has been translated in light of the Sanskrit text, which has "in the Pleiades in the latter month of the summer [months].

" There are six seasons in the

Hindu calendar, each of two months, and the two months of summer span mid-May to mid-July, followed by the rainy season. The prospect of rainfall for the coming rainy season is determined by the asterism in which the moon is residing when the first rain of the summer falls.

The units chiand cun(0.1 chi) may for the sake of convenience be roughly equated with "foot" and "inch" respectively, although their actual length varied in different periods. In the Sanskrit text, the unit āḍhaka (a measure of grain) is used. In the present instance, two chieight cuncorresponds to sixty-four āḍhaka,but there does not seem to be any strict correlation between the capacity measure used in the Sanskrit 96

Notes

40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 and the linear measure used in the Chinese. The amount of rain given for each asterism is the estimated rainfall for the entire season.

As might be expected, those adversely affected by eclipses are by and large those governed by the lunar mansion in which the moon resides at the time of the eclipse, in which regard reference should be made to pp. 91-92 (although the correspondences are not always evident from the Chinese translation).

The equivalent of "middle kingdom" in the Sanskrit text is "Kaliṅga and Magadha. "

This last sentence is probably redundant since it is repeated in the following section on Mound.

The section on the lunar mansion Ox is missing in both the Sanskrit text and the Chinese translation. Cf. note 37. Earthquakes were explained in various ways in ancient India, and according to one school of thought they are associated with Indra and the three elements of fire, water, and wind.

This is possibly an allusion to the fact that in explanations of the symptoms and effects of earthquakes Indra and the three elements are sometimes each associated with seven asterisms. In the present case, this would mean that the other effects of an earthquake associated with the element water are the same as those of earthquakes that occur when the moon is in the seven asterisms associated with the element water (even though these are not identified as such in the text).

The Chinese translation has simply "division" or "part" (fen), but the Sanskrit equivalent muhūrta(one thirtieth part of a day, corresponding to forty-eight minutes) has been used for the sake of clarity.

I.e., the year begins from the second month.

This differs from the explanation given in the Sanskrit text, where the time it takes a woman spinning to draw out a piece of yarn that is neither overly long nor overly short is termed a tatkṣaṇa,one hundred and twenty of which make up one kṣaṇa.In common parlance, kṣaṇarefers to an instantaneous point of time, i.e., "moment" or

"second,

" and in the scheme presented in the following sentences it equates with 1.6 seconds. Here and below,

"span" (Ch. xun) refers to the distance between the tips of

the middle fingers when the arms are stretched out horizontally as far as possible; one xunis equated with seven or eight chi(see note 39).

In both India and China the day was traditionally reckoned to begin at dawn. The names of the thirty muhūrtaas given in the Sanskrit text of the Śārdūlakarṇāvadāna, divided as in the Chinese text into two groups of fifteen, are as follows (with tentative reconstructions of alternatives suggested by the Chinese translation in parentheses): (1) caturojas(caturmāsa), (2) śveta, (3) samṛddha,(4) śarapatha(śaraṇa), (5) atisamṛddha,(6) udgata(trimaṇḍala), (7) sumukha(sammukha), (8) vajraka(sama?), 97

The Mātaṅga Sutra

50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 (9) rohita(vitasti), (10) bala,(11) vijaya,(12) sarvarasa(mahāsāra), (13) vasu,(14) sundara, (15) parabhaya (dāruṇa); (1) raudra, (2) tārāvacara (tārāvabhāsa), (3) saṃyama,(4) sāṃpraiyaka(kṣema), (5) ananta, (6) gardabha(ākasmika?), (7) rākṣasa, (8) avayava(nidrā), (9) brahmā,(10) diti,(11) arka(kūjana), (12) vidhamana(guṇa?), (13) āgneya, (14) ātapāgni(chāyāpada), (15) abhijit(abhicita?). In the Chinese translation nāḍikā is translated as ke, which originally referred to a one-hundredth part of a day, i.e., 14.4 minutes, whereas the nāḍikāis equivalent to twenty-four minutes. There are discrepancies between the Sanskrit text and Chinese translation (and also the Tibetan translation and various other authorities) regarding the length of the lava, kāṣṭhā, kalā,and nāḍikā. This passage appears to describe a form of outflowing water clock (or clepsydra), one of two main types of water clocks used in ancient India (the other being the floating- or sinking-bowl type). The Sanskrit equivalents of "hare's hair, " "sheep's hair,

" and "cow's hair" mean

literally "hare-dust,

" "sheep-dust,

" and "cow-dust.

"

The Sanskrit krośameans literally "cry" or "yell, " which is why it has been translated

in the Chinese as "cry" or "voice" (sheng); as a measure of distance it originally referred to the range of the voice when calling out. One yojanaworks out to approximately 7.3 kilometers (approximately 4.54 miles). The Sanskrit equivalent māṣakameans "bean, " but it may also refer to a weight of

gold.

Here and below, where the Chinese translation has simply "god(s), " the Sanskrit text

specifies the god to whom the offerings are to be made. Variants and the Sanskrit text have "thirteen days. " There are further discrepancies

between the Sanskrit and the Chinese translation regarding the length of an illness, but these have been noted only when the Sanskrit text is supported by variant readings in the Chinese translation.

Variants and the Sanskrit text have "thirteen months. "

58 Variants omit "Ox,

" but it appears in the Sanskrit text (although the number of days is given as six).

59 Variants and the Sanskrit text have "head" for "neck. "

60 The lunar month was measured in some regions of India (especially in the south) from one new moon to the next and in other regions (especially in the north) from one full moon to the next. The following section, giving the lunar mansions in which the moon resides on the days of the full moon and new moon in each month, follows the former method and appears to have been adapted by the Chinese translators, for the Sanskrit text follows the latter method. 98

Notes

61 62 63 From the length of the sun's shadow as measured by a gnomon, it is possible to calculate the latitude of the point of observation, and discrepancies between the Sanskrit text and the Chinese translation regarding the length of the sun's shadow as measured by a gnomon each month are a further indication that this section is not a direct translation of the original Sanskrit but a reworking based on knowledge gained by observations made outside India in a region further to the north. The first part of this sentence describes the Chinese method of intercalation, with seven embolismic years occurring in a nineteen-year cycle (also known as the Metonic cycle). The Sanskrit text states simply that there is an extra month every third year, and if this is taken to mean every third lunar year, then it tallies with the statement in the Chinese translation that there is a second intercalation every five (solar) years. The section on Ghost has been omitted in the Chinese translation. 99

THE BODHICITTA ŚĀSTRA

Contents

Translator's Introduction 105 The Bodhicitta Śāstra 107 Chapter I. Introduction 109 1. Awakening 109

2. The Merits Acquired as the Result of Awakening 109 3. Practice 109

Chapter II. Vow 111 1. Definition 111

2. Tathāgatagarbha 111 3. Peace of Mind 111 Chapter III. Supreme Truth 113 1. Definition 113

2. Ordinary People 113 3. Non-Buddhist Religious Practitioners 113 4. Followers of the Two Vehicles 113 5. Mahayana Practitioners 114 6. Refutation of the Reality of Dharmas 115 7. The Emptiness of Dharmas 115 8. Canonical Sources 116 Chapter IV. Samādhi 119 1. Definition] 119 2. The Meditation on the Moon 119 3. The Five Buddhas 119 4. The Four Pāramitā-bodhisattvas 120 5. The Sixteen Mahā-bodhisattvas 120 6. The Sixteen Phases of the Moon and Their Implication in Meditation 121

7. The Meaning of the Syllable "A" 122 103

Translator’s Introduction

Contents

8. The Practice of Meditation on the Syllable "A" 122 9. The Three Mysteries and the Five Stages to Realize Buddhahood 123 Chapter V. Enlightenment 125 Notes 129

104

Translator's Introduction

The Bodhicitta-śāstra (Taishō vol. 32, no. 1665) is extant only in Chinese translation. Although tradition attributes its composition to the legendary tantric Nāgārjuna and asserts that it was translated by Amoghavajra (705-774), I believe that Amoghavajra was its actual composer. This is a Buddhist tantric text and constitutes one of the most important śāstras in the formulation of the Shingon theory of human-buddha integration. The term "human-buddha integration, "

which first appears in this śāstra,called zhi shen cheng foin Chinese and sokushin jōbutsu in Japanese, literally means "the body, just as it is, is that of the Buddha. "

This śāstraclaims that human-buddha integration is possible because bodhicitta (the wisdom of knowing the true nature of self, i.e., that the self is a product of emptiness)1 is shared by both sentient beings and the Buddha, who in this case is Dharmakāya Mahāvairocana, the personification of emptiness. The term bodhicitta,however, is interpreted differently in the kengyō(exoteric) tradition, the teachings revealed by the historical Buddha, Śākyamuni, and the mikkyō,esoteric teachings revealed by Dharmakāya Mahāvairocana. For example, the Huayan jing(Avataṃsaka-sūtra), a kengyōtext, conceives of bodhicittaas the cause (inbun) of enlightenment, attested to in the story of the legendary Sudha naśreṣṭhi-dāraka going through the fifty-three stages to realize enlightenment. The Bodhicitta-śāstraconceives of bodhicittaas a property inherent in the minds of all sentient beings and verifies this supposition through bodhisattva practice—the practice to enlighten others. Nonetheless, the inherent bodhicitta needs to be awakened. The awakening process is described in five stages: (1) understanding bodhicitta, (2) cultivating that understanding, (3) realizing the union between Mahāvairocana and sentient beings, i.e., mental union, (4) realizing physical union, and (5) realizing bodhi, supreme enlightenment. The five stages actually refer to the meditative process to realize the cultivation of bodhicitta. These stages are described symbolically in terms of the sixteen waxing phases of the moon.

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Translator's Introduction

In examining the Bodhicitta-śāstra,three questions that require clarification arise: First, it was said that Dharmakāya Mahāvairocana is the personification of emptiness. What does this mean? It should be noted here that the Bodhicittaśāstrais a tantric text, and expresses concepts symbolically. Mahāvairocana is conceived of as a creator in the sense that emptiness is the source of creation. Creation refers to co-arising. Hence, the term "Dharmakāya Mahāvairocana" specifically represents the personification of the dharmadhātu,the realm of the Dharma, which is the co-arising of emptiness. Second, what is the difference between bodhicitta and tathāgatagarbha (lit.,

"womb of the buddha")? Both

terms mean the same insofar as they presuppose that the potential for enlightenment exists within the makeup of human consciousness. In fact, the text employs the terms bodhicittaand tathāgatagarbhainterchangeably. But while the history of the development of tathāgatagarbha thought is clear, 2 that of

bodhicittathought is not. That is, when and where did the term bodhicittaoriginate? Under what historical circumstances did it evolve into Mahayana thought? And what doctrinal circumstances led to differentiating the kengyōand mikkyō interpretations of bodhicitta?

It is clear that Kūkai, the founder of the Japanese esoteric tradition, Shingon, derived his integration theory from this śāstra. Finally, does this teaching in this text represent a gradual or a sudden doctrine?3 What characterizes this śāstra is the term zhi,rendered as soku(as in the Japanese term sokushin jōbutsu). This is a synergistic term, meaning that through insight into bodhicittathe practitioner realizes human-buddha integration suddenly, while the awakening and cultivation of that insight occurs more gradually.

106

The Bodhicitta-śāstra

The treatise on the awakening of supreme enlightenment (bodhicitta) through yogic practices, based on the Vajraśekhara-sūtra; also known as the essence of cultivating and upholding the meditative practices for awakening bodhicitta, based on the teachings of yoga-dhāraṇī.

Translated by the Tripiṭaka master Śramaṇa Amoghavajra, a provincial chancellor, who was the examiner of state ceremonies, endowed with the meritorious rank equal to that of the three ministers (the Prime Minister and his two officials), and was the Duke of Su with the income of a district of three thousand households; he supervised civil matters, and upon him was bestowed the purple robe; he was entitled Daguangzhi (Extensive Wisdom) of Daxingshan Monastery and was posthumously called Dajian (Great Mirror).

572b

Chapter I. Introduction

[Chapter I]

[Introduction]

Ācārya Daguangzhi says:

[1. Awakening]

If there is a person of superior faculties and superior knowledge, he should not seek the Dharma of non-Buddhists or of the two lesser vehicles (i.e., of the śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas). He should instead be magnanimous, courageous, unafflicted, cultivate the buddha vehicle, and arouse this kind of thought:

I desire to seek the most supreme enlightenment and do not seek other attainments.

[2. The Merits Acquired as the

Result of Awakening]

Because the mental state of this vow is steadfast, the palace of Māra trembles and the buddhas of the ten quarters recognize it; and, constantly abiding in the realms of gods and humans and experiencing supreme delight, the practitioner does not forget this vow but remembers it wherever he is born. He vows to perfect the bodies of bodhicittathrough yoga(i.e., to realize union with bodhisattvas by meditating on the maṇḍala). This state of realization is called the awakening of bodhicittabecause these deities are all the same as the body of Mahāvairocana Buddha.

[3. Practice]

One who covets fame or rank produces that kind of thought and acts so as to attain it; one who seeks wealth produces that kind of thought and acts so as to attain it; and one who wills to do good or evil entertains that kind of thought and accomplishes what he has willed. Therefore, one who seeks bodhishould awaken bodhicittaand cultivate bodhipractices. Having awakened [bodhicitta], 109

572c

Chapter II. Vow

The Bodhicitta Śāstra

one should then know the marks of those practices. The marks are of three kinds. Now, the buddhas and bodhisattvas—who in the past, while abiding in the causal realm of enlightenment, having aroused the thought [of bodhicitta]—regarded: (1) supreme truth (Skt. paramārtha-satya), (2) vow, and (3) samādhi as their guiding principles, at no time forgetting them in the course of realizing buddhahood. They realized "buddhahood in the present body" (Jp. sokushin jōbutsu) through the Mantra Dharma alone. This Dharma is called Samādhi Dharma (i.e., the Dharma realized in samādhi). It is missing in other schools and is not spoken of by them. We shall discuss first the vow, second supreme truth, and third samādhi.

110

[Chapter II]

[Vow]

[1. Definition]

First, vow: the practitioner should constantly embrace this kind of thought: I will bring benefit and peace to all sentient beings of the world without leaving any behind, observing them in the ten directions as if they were myself.

The term "benefit" means exhorting all sentient beings and enabling them to abide peacefully in the realm of supreme enlightenment, never trying to save them by means of the Dharma of the two vehicles.

[2. Tathāgatagarbha]

The mantra practitioner should know that all sentient beings are endowed with the nature of the tathāgatagarbha(buddha-nature) and are capable of abiding peacefully in supreme enlightenment. Therefore the mantra practitioner does not employ the Dharma of the two vehicles to cause sentient beings to be saved. Thus the Avataṃsaka-sūtrasays,

"There is not a single

sentient being who is not endowed with the wisdom of the Tathāgata. " But

because of delusion, distortions, and attachment, sentient beings do not realize enlightenment. If they part from delusion, then knowledge of all particulars, spontaneous knowledge, and unobstructed knowledge are readily at hand.

[3. Peace of Mind]

"Peace of mind" means that because a practitioner already understands that all sentient beings will ultimately realize buddhahood, he would not dare to be arrogant. Furthermore, through the teaching of great compassion, he takes the most appropriate means to bring about the ultimate salvation of all sentient beings. He offers what is sought by them, even his own life, 111

Chapter III. Supreme Truth

The Bodhicitta Śāstra

573a

unsparingly, to enable them to live in peace and to bring joy to them. Since he is already intimate with them, sentient beings will have confidence in his words. It is indeed through intimacy that guidance is possible. Even if sentient beings are ignorant, they should not be coerced into salvation. A mantra practitioner should lead them by skill-in-means. 112

[Chapter III]

[Supreme Truth]

[1. Definition]

Second, supreme truth refers to the insight that all dharmas are without essence. Why do they lack an essence?

[2. Ordinary People]

Ordinary people are attached to fame, profit, and the necessities of life; they devote themselves to achieving material security and recklessly indulge in the three poisons and five desires. The mantra practitioner should truly abhor and abandon these notions and practices.

[3. Non-Buddhist Religious

Practitioners]

The non-Buddhist practitioners are attached to their own lives: with the aid of drugs they attain life in the palace of the immortals. Some consider rebirth in heaven to be the ultimate. The mantra practitioner should observe the non-Buddhist's view of salvation as follows: even if karmic forces are exhausted, one cannot part from the triple world because the afflictions remain to be extinguished, the seeds of retribution from the past are not destroyed, and evil thoughts repeatedly arise. Thus non-Buddhists sink into the ocean of suffering from where it is difficult to escape. You should know that the Dharma of the non-Buddhists is like an illusion, a dream, or a flickering flame. [4. Followers of the

Two Vehicles]

Of the followers of the two vehicles, śrāvakas cling to the Dharma of the four truths while pratyekabuddhas cling to the Dharma of twelve-stage causation (pratītyasamutpāda). Realizing that the four elements (earth, water, fire, and wind) and the five aggregates (skandhas) will ultimately be destroyed, 113

5. Mahayana Practitioners

The Bodhicitta Śāstra

they arouse a profound distaste for them: they destroy the notion of the reality of self and cultivate the original Dharma, eventually attaining their due level of realization—arriving to great nirvana and regarding this as the ultimate destination.

The mantra practitioner should thus observe: though the followers of the two vehicles destroy the notion of the reality of self, they still cling to the notion of the reality of dharmas, and although they purify their minds (manas), they do not understand anything beyond that. Further, by realizing the fruit [of their respective paths]—the product of eons of practices—and by destroying both body and mind, they end up reaching nirvana, which is like a vast empty space, deep and tranquil. Those of determined nature (śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas) find it difficult to awaken [bodhicitta and are] only able to give rise to it after completing the full term of kalpas. Those of indeterminate nature do not speak of kalpa limits. Meeting the proper conditions they directly convert to the Mahayana, depart from the "city of mirage, " and transcend the triple world because of their long-developed faith in the Buddha. And through the skill-in-means of buddhas and bodhisattvas and through skill-in-means, they will finally awaken the great mind. From the ten stages of faith—going through the following stages and passing through the time of three incalculable kalpas of arduous practices—they will realize buddhahood. It is already clear that the wisdom of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas is inferior and is not to be indulged in.

[5. Mahayana Practitioners]

Furthermore, among sentient beings, there are those who are awakened to the Mahayana and carry out bodhisattva practices, leaving no Dharma practice uncultivated. They practice through three incalculably long kalpas, observing the six perfections and innumerable bodhisattva practices to the fullest extent, and then realize the buddha fruit. These are graded practices that require a considerable span of time.

The mantra practitioner, having observed the limits of the former, again gives rise to the motivation to bring benefit and comfort to all sentient beings in their worlds without leaving anyone behind. By the determination generated from his great compassion, he permanently transcends the sphere of the practices of the non-Buddhists and the followers of two vehicles. He furthermore 114

Chapter III

cultivates the supreme teachings of yogathat enable entry into buddhahood directly from the level of an ordinary person. Thus he transcends the bodhisattva stages. He also deeply understands that all dharmas are without essence. Why do they lack an essence? The gist of this was explained above. [6. Refutation of the Reality

of Dharmas]

Now, the Dharma of the lost way arises from deluded conceptualization, and continues to develop. This brings about immeasurable and limitless afflictions and transmigration through the six destinies. If one awakens, deluded conceptualizations are terminated and various dharmas are extinguished. Therefore they lack self-nature. Furthermore, the compassion of buddhas arises from the truth to save and embrace sentient beings. Like a physician who prescribes the most appropriate medicine for a disease, the Buddha bestows various teachings according to [various beings' capacities] and each affliction receives its own antidote. But just as someone would employ a raft to reach the other shore but would abandon it once they have reached that shore, we should likewise abandon the Dharma that enabled us to conquer delusion, because dharmas have no essence. As the Mahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhi-sūtra says, "Dharmas are without marks. Their marks are the marks of empty space. "4 The

realization of this state of understanding is called the supreme bodhi. [7. The Emptiness of

Dharmas]

You should know that all dharmas are empty of an essence. Why? Having realized that dharmas are originally unarisen, the essence of the mind is automatically thus. Hence, not having the view of body and mind, one abides in quiescent equality, the cognition the ultimate truth, which disallows retrogression. If delusion does arise, one would recognize it but would not follow it; when delusion ceases, the mind as the source of all dharmas will become void. Here myriad virtues are perfected and their marvelous function is infinite. Therefore the buddhas of the ten directions consider the supreme truth and practice of the vow as their discipline. Those equipped with this state of mind are capable of turning the Dharma wheel and bringing benefits to both themselves and others.

573b

115

8. Canonical Sources

573c

The Bodhicitta Śāstra

[8. Canonical Sources]

Thus the Avataṃsaka-sūtrasays: Compassion is the light and wisdom is its guiding principle, the two merge as skill-in-means. In the purified mind of faith-and-understanding, there is the immeasurable power of the Tathāgata. Unobstructed knowledge manifests: This knowledge is self-realized, not acquired through the aid of others. All complete, he is identical with the Tathāgata, having awakened to the supreme state. If a child of the Buddha awakens for the first time, with a precious jewel-mind such as this, He will surpass the stage of ordinary people and enter the level of buddha practices. He is born in the household of the Tathāgata, an infallible clan.

He is equal to the buddhas, and, at the end, he will perfect supreme bodhi. Having realized this state, even slightly, he enters the stage of joy, pramuditā. His mind immovable,

he is like the king of a great mountain. 4

The Avataṃsaka-sūtra further says, "In each ground (bhūmi), from the first ground up to the tenth ground, great compassion is the base. "6

The Amitāyurdhyāna-sūtrasays, "Buddha-mind is the great compassion. "7

The Nirvāṇa-sūtrasays,

"O Cunda, though your body is of mortals, your mind is the same as buddhas. "8 It further says:

The Medicine King, the Buddha, pities the beings of the world; His body and wisdom are tranquil. Within the Dharma of no-self, he realizes the true self; Therefore I pay homage to the Supreme One. Having awakened, there is no distinction between initial and ultimate enlightenment. 116

Chapter III

Between the two, it is initial enlightenment that is difficult. For not yet having enlightened oneself, one is supposed to enlighten others.

Thus I pay homage to initial awakening. If one has realized initial awakening, he is the master of gods and humans, surpassing the śrāvakaand pratyekabuddha. This type of awakening transcends the triple world. Therefore it is called "unsurpassed. "9

The Mahāvairocanābhisaṃbodhi-sūtra says, "Bodhicitta is the cause,

compassion its root, and skill-in-means its end result. "10

117

Chapter IV. Samādhi

[Chapter IV]

[Samādhi]

[1. Definition]

Third, samādhi:How should a mantra practitioner, having thus contemplated, realize supreme bodhi?

[2. The Meditation

on the Moon]

You should know that all beings inherently dwell in the great enlightenment of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, [who represents the attributes of bodhicitta]; that though they are endowed with bodhicitta, they are also bound by the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion; that through the great compassion of the buddhas—who, through their wisdom of skill-in-means, teach this profound secret yoga—the practitioner is able to meditate on the discs of the sun and moon within his mind.

Through this meditation, he sees his original state of mind (bodhicitta), which is tranquil and pure like the light of a full moon covering space without discrimination. This state of mind is called complete enlightenment (the perfection of the cognizer); it is also called pure dharmadhātu(the perfection of the cognized); and it is also called the sea of the perfection of the wisdom of reality (the union of the cognizer and the cognized). Its ability in samādhi to contain a variety of immeasurable precious jewels is like a full moon's ability to contain its pureness and brilliance.

Why? Because all beings are endowed with the mind of Samantabhadra: one sees one's own mind like the disc of the moon.

Why is the disc of the moon employed as a simile? Because a perfect full moon is like bodhicitta.The moon disc has sixteen phases. This is a metaphor for the sixteen bodhisattvas, from Vajrasattva to Vajrasaṃdhi, realized in yoga. [3. The Five Buddhas]

Among the thirty-seven deities [of the Vajradhātu Maṇḍala], each buddha of 119

4. The Four Pāramitābodhisattvas

574a

The Bodhicitta Śāstra

the five quarters represents one type of cognition. The five buddhas are: (1) Akṣobhya Buddha of the east. He is also called "indestructible cognition" (vajra-jñāna) because he perfects mirrorlike cognition (ādarśa-jñāna). (2) Ratnasaṃbhava Buddha of the south. He is also called "investiture cognition" (abhiṣeka-jñāna) because he perfects the cognition of equality (samatā-jñāna).

(3) Amitābha Buddha of the west. He is also called "lotus cognition" (padma-jñāna) because he perfects the cognition that deals with discriminative observation (pratyavekṣaṇā-jñāna). He is also called the "cognition that turns the Dharma wheel" (dharmacakra-pravartana-jñāna). (4) Amoghasiddhi Buddha of the north. He is also called the "cognition of perfecting all works" (karma-jñāna), i.e., the cognition to implement insight into practice (kṛtyānuṣṭhāna-jñāna).

(5) Mahāvairocana Buddha of the center. He is the fundamental buddha because he represents the cognition of the world of Dharma (dharmadhātu). [4. The Four Pāramitābodhisattvas]

From the four buddha-cognitions (i.e., the first four buddha-cognitions) emanate the four perfecting [pāramitā-]bodhisattvas [who are offered to the fifth buddha, Mahāvairocana]. The four pāramitā-bodhisattvas of Mahāvairo cana are: (1) Vajra[-pāramitā], (2) Ratna[-pāramitā], (3) Dharma[-pāramitā], and (4) Karma[-pāramitā].

They are the mothers who give birth to and nurture all deities of the three time periods.

[5. The Sixteen Mahābodhisattvas]

From here, the vow hand gestures (mudrās) are perfected and the four buddhas emanate from Dharmadhātu Mahāvairocana. Each buddha of the four quadrants embraces four bodhisattvas: (1) Akṣobhya Buddha of the east embraces the four bodhisattvas Vajra sattva, Vajrarāja, Vajravāśin, and Vajrasādhu. (2) Ratnasaṃbhava Buddha of the south embraces Vajraratna, Vajraprabha, Vajraketu, and Vajrahāsā.

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Chapter IV

(3) Amitābha Buddha of the west embraces Vajradharma, Vajratīkṣṇa, Vajrahetu, and Vajrabhāṣa.

(4) Amoghasiddhi Buddha of the north embraces Vajrakarma, Vajrarakṣa, Vajradaṃṣṭra, and Vajrasaṃdhi.

Each of the buddhas of the four quarters thus embraces four bodhisattvas, making a total of sixteen great [mahā-]bodhisattvas.

Of the thirty-seven deities, excluding the five buddhas, the four pāramitābodhisattvas [of Mahāvairocana], the four saṃgraha-bodhisattvas [Vajrānkuśa, Vajrapāśa, Vajrasphoṭa, and Vajrāveśa, offered to the four buddhas by Mahāvairocana,] and the eight pūjā-bodhisattvas [Vajradhūpā, Vajrapuṣpā, Vajrālokā, Vajragandhā, Vajralāsyā, Vajramālā, Vajragītā, and Vajranṛityā, offered to the four buddhas by Mahāvairocana]—of which the last two groups (i.e., the four saṃgraha-bodhisattvas and the eight pūjā-bodhisattvas) are a later development—we are thus talking about the sixteen bodhisattvas encompassed by the buddhas of the four quarters. So the Mahāprajñāpāramitāsūtra says: There are sixteen meanings of emptiness—from the emptiness of the six sense organs and the six sense fields (adhyātma-śūnyatā) to the emptiness of self-nature and the emptiness of the emptiness of self-nature (abhāva svabhāva-śūnyatā). 11

[6. The Sixteen Phases of the

Moon and Their Implication

in Meditation]

There is an essence of purity, fully prepared to perform practices, in the mind of all sentient beings. This essence is extremely subtle, pure, and bright. Though it transmigrates within the six destinies (gati), it does not change, like the light-essence that does not change in any one of the sixteen phases of the moon. A part of the light of the moon is absorbed by the sun, such as at the time of the new moon; at that time, the nature of its light is not manifested, but afterward the moon arises, increasing its brightness day by day, until it reaches fullness after the fifteenth day.

Therefore, a meditation practitioner should first arouse the essence of brightness (bodhicitta), which is inherent in the mind by meditating on the 121