Kangyur Translations

Toh 813, Toh 1098 — The Aspiration Prayer from “Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm”

Translated by the Dharmachakra Translation Committee under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha.

The Aspiration Prayer from “Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm”

F.253.aF.268.b Homage to the Three Jewels!

In this world or beyond there is nothing—

Not even a precious gem in the higher realms—

That equals the Thus-Gone One, the god of gods,

The supreme among humans.

Thus, he is called the most precious gem.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

There is nothing at all comparable to the Dharma

Of uncompounded, quiescent ambrosia—

The uncompounded ambrosia of extinction and dispassion

Discerned by the Sage of the Śākyas through his knowledge.

Thus, it is called the most precious gem.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

There is nothing comparable to the absorption

That perceives the vajra-like,^[1] nondual^[2] path—

The manifestation, in due order, of what is most desired,

The permanent accomplishment of the teacher’s absolute practice.

Thus, it is called the most precious gem.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

The eight great kinds of person praised

And called the four pairs,

Extolled as “venerable” by the Thus-Gone One,

The incomparable person, the Great Sage,

Yield great fruits when offered to,

Like seeds planted in a fertile field—

This is called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

Since those who strive with firm resolve

And enter Gautama’s teaching

Gain access to ambrosia,

Remove darkness, and attain nirvāṇa, F.253.b

They are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!^[3]

As soon as they connect with this vision,

Belief in the transitory collection,

Ethical discipline in the form of extreme austerity,

And doubt are simultaneously cast off,

And they see the truths of the noble ones. F.269.a

Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!^[4]

With body, speech, or mind

They never produce the threefold evil deeds,

And even when they suddenly do, they do not conceal them,

And in that way, their view is not tainted with grasping.

Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

Just as a threshold beam planted in the ground

Is unmoved by winds from the four directions,

So are the members of the saṅgha of noble ones,

Who have insight into the highest path of the noble ones.

Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

Those who cultivate with profound wisdom

The eloquently taught truths of the noble ones

And consider giving away even their own bodies

Never encounter the eight perils.

Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

Just as a flame extinguished by the wind

Cannot be taken up and counted,

So do the offspring of the buddhas

Become indemonstrable

Once they have discarded all fetters.

Thus, they are called the most precious gem of the Saṅgha.

By this truth may there be well-being here!

May all sentient beings, moving or still, be well here!

And may they pay homage to the Buddha,

The supreme teacher, venerated by gods and humans!

May there be well-being here today!

May all sentient beings, moving or still, be well here!

May they pay homage to the Dharma,

The peaceful dispassion venerated by gods and humans!

May there be well-being here today! F.254.a

May all sentient beings, moving or still, be well here!

May they pay homage to the Saṅgha,

The supreme assembly venerated by gods and humans!

May there be well-being here today!

May all sentient beings, moving or still, F.269.b

Be well here!

May whatever bhūtas are assembled here,

All those who dwell upon the earth or in the sky,

Act always lovingly toward all creatures

And practice Dharma day and night!^[5]

By the truth that the Victorious One, having vanquished his foes,

Spoke truthfully, without falsehood,

May there be well-being here,

And may all be delivered from grave perils!^[6]

✦ ✦ ✦

By the majesty of all the buddhas,^[7]

The majesty of the pratyekabuddhas,

The powers of the arhats,

And all the secret mantra holders,

By the wisdom of Śāriputra,

The supernatural power of Maudgalyāyana,

The vision of Aniruddha,

And the ascetic practices of Kāśyapa;

By the previous attainments of Kauṇḍinya,

The learning of Ānanda,

The benevolence of Brahmā,

And the supremacy of Śatakratu;

By the territories of the guardians of the world,

The power of Maheśvara,

The might of the generals,

And the supernatural splendor of Hārītī—

Through their might and majesty,

May poison be removed from me!

This completes the aspiration prayer from the words spoken in “Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm.”

Notes

rdo rje lta bu (Skt. vajropama), usually referring (in Sarvāstivādin and Mahāyāna systems) to the crucial samādhi that is the moment of transition to the fifth of the five paths, the “path of no more learning.” In the matching line in the Mahāvastu version the term is ānantariya (“immediate” or “uninterrupted”) and in the Ratana-sutta its Pali equivalent ānantarika; these terms are applied to a samādhi that marks the beginning of the “path of seeing,” but are also applied to a path (ānantaryamārga) that is the first of two repeated successive processes leading to the “path of no more learning.”
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As in the longer text (Toh 558) that is the source of this extract, the Narthang and Lhasa Kangyurs read mi gnyis (“nondual”); Degé reads mig gnyis (“two eyes”). The former reading is supported by the Sanskrit edition, which reads advayamārgadarśinā.
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In the Mahāvastu, the stanza equivalent to this one comes later, between #UT22084-096-062-47 and #UT22084-096-062-48 here, and is followed by another stanza on the jewel of the Saṅgha that has no equivalent in this work.
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In the Pali Ratana-sutta, the stanza equivalent to this one comes later, between #UT22084-096-062-47 and #UT22084-096-062-48 here, and the remaining equivalent stanzas come in a different order.
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This stanza is also found in the Mahāsamāja-mahāsūtra (Toh 653https://read.84000.co/translation/toh653.html) and, in the Mūlasarvāstivādin Vinaya, in the Vinayakṣudrakavastu (Toh 6https://read.84000.co/translation/toh6.html), The Chapter on Going Forth (Pravrajyāvastu, Toh 1-1, at 4.258), The Chapter on Medicines (Bhaiṣajyavastu, Toh 1-6, at 3.297), and The Mahāsūtra On Entering the City of Vaiśālī (Toh 312).
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This first verse passage from Destroyer of the Great Trichiliocosm ends here, and after further dialog with the gods, during which the Buddha pronounces three more of the many dhāraṇī in the text, the epidemic of Vaiśālī comes to an end and the harmful spirits surrender to the Buddha’s compassion.
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The verses that follow are taken from a passage that follows shortly after the preceding verses. The Four Great Kings recommend the reciting of these verses, which they describe as part of a procedure as follows: “One who endeavors to be free of goiters, herpes, insanity, boils, blisters, rashes, and the drinking of poison should be ritually cleansed and well adorned, and say the following incantation while sitting on a fine seat.”
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