Toh 305 — The Sūtra “Declaring What Is Supreme”
Agraprajñaptisūtra
Translated by the Pema Yeshé Dé Translation Team under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha
The Sūtra “Declaring What Is Supreme”
F.130.b Homage to all buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavān, together with a saṅgha of śrāvakas, was staying at Kalandakanivāsa in the Bamboo Grove at Rājagṛha, observing the pledge to stay in retreat during the rains. Then the Bhagavān spoke to the monks:[1]
“Monks, there are three declarations of what is supreme.[2] What are the three? They are the declaration of the Buddha as supreme, the declaration of the Dharma as supreme, and the declaration of the Saṅgha as supreme.
“In this regard,[3] what is the declaration of the Buddha as supreme? It is taught that among all beings—those without legs, with two legs, with four legs,[4] or with many legs; those with form or without form; those with perception, without perception, or neither with perception F.131.a nor without perception[5]—the tathāgata, the arhat, the completely perfect Buddha[6] is supreme. Those who are well disposed toward the Buddha are well disposed toward what is supreme. Those who are well disposed toward what is supreme should understand that the ripening thereof will always be as a supreme god among gods, or a supreme human among humans. This is called the declaration of the Buddha as supreme.[7]
“What is the declaration of the Dharma as supreme? It is taught that among all dharmas, conditioned or unconditioned, the Dharma of being free from attachment is supreme.[8] Those who are well disposed toward the Dharma are well disposed toward the supreme. Those who are well disposed toward what is supreme should understand that the ripening thereof will always be as a supreme god among gods, or a supreme human among humans. This is called the declaration of the Dharma as supreme.
“What is the declaration of the Saṅgha as supreme? It is taught that among all assemblies, gatherings, crowds, and retinues, the Saṅgha of śrāvakas of the tathāgata, the arhat, the completely perfect Buddha[9] is supreme. Those who are well disposed toward the Saṅgha are well disposed toward the supreme. Those who are well disposed toward what is supreme should understand that the ripening thereof will always be as a supreme god among gods, or a supreme human among humans. This is called the declaration of the Saṅgha as supreme.”
After the Bhagavān had spoken thus, the monks rejoiced and praised his words. F.131.b
Thus ends The Sūtra “Declaring What Is Supreme.”Notes
The version that is found in the Avadānaśataka (Avś), and in its Tibetan translation (Toh 343)https://read.84000.co/translation/toh343.html begins with this sentence.
backReading with KY, K, C, U and H: dge slong dag ’di gsum ni mchog tu gdags pa yin te, and Avś tisra imā bhikṣavo ’graprajñaptayaḥ. D here has the corrupt reading na in place of ni.
backThe phrase “in this regard” (Tib. de la) is absent in Avś and in Toh 343.https://read.84000.co/translation/toh343.html
backThe words “with four legs” are absent in Avś, though present in Frgm and in Toh 343.https://read.84000.co/translation/toh343.html
backThis refers to the category of beings abiding in the fourth and highest level of the formless realm. These are either the gods that abide there or persons who have reached this state through meditative equipoise. This state is also referred to as the “peak of existence” (Skt. bhavāgra; Tib. srid rtse) and is situated at the apex of saṃsāra. The beings there do not experience perceptions and yet cannot be said to be without perceptions.
backThe phrase “the arhat, the completely perfect Buddha” is absent in Frgm.
backFrgm reads instead iyaṃ prathamā agraprajñaptiḥ, “This is the first declaration as supreme.”
backAlternatively, this may be rendered “dispassion (i.e., being free of attachment) is the supreme Dharma.”
backThe phrase “the arhat, the completely perfect Buddha” is absent in Avś and its Tibetan translation (Toh 343).https://read.84000.co/translation/toh343.html
back
