The Dhāra
ṇ
īśvararājaparip
ṛ
cchā
Quoted in the Madhyamakāvatārabhāṣya
Y
ONEZAWA
Yoshiyasu
1. Preamble
In Candrakīrti s Madhyamakāvatārabhāṣya (MABh), various Mahāyāna sūtras are quoted as authoritative scriptures. One of these is the Dhāra
ṇ
īśvararājaparipṛ
cchā (Dhrp), which isfocused upon below. Without going into details about the quoted texts themselves, the pres-ent paper intends to point out underlying concepts which occur in the context of the quota-tions, most centrally, the presupposition of subitism when entering the Buddha stage which is differentiated from the mental state of all other beings.
2. On the
Dhāra
ṇ
ī vararājaparip
ṛ
cchā
The Dhrp is available in Chinese and Tibetan translation:
1. Yingluo pin diyi 瓔珞品第一 and Tuoluonizizaiwangpusa pin dier 陀羅尼自在王菩 品第二 in the
Dafangdeng Dajijing 大方等大集経 by Dharmakṣema 曇無讖 (T no. 397[1]–[2], vol. 13, 1a1–
28b22).
2. Daaijing 大哀経 by Dharmarakṣa 竺法護 (T no. 398, vol. 13, 409a1–452a17).
3. De bshin gshegs pa i snying rje chen po nges par bstan pa by Śīlendrabodhi and Ye shes sde (D Tohoku no. 147. mdo sde, pa 142a1–242b7; P Otani no. 814, vol. 13, 271.1.1–312.1.3 = mdo sna tshogs, nu 102a1–204b3).
This Dhrp is cited under the title, Dhāra
ṇ
īśvararāja-sūtra, in the Ratnagotravibhāga Mahāyānottaratantra (RGV).1) The RGV refers to the Dhrp as consisting of two chapters, i.e., Nidāna-parivarta and Bodhisattva-tathāgata-dharmabheda-(parivarta), which are al-most equivalent to the*
Alaṅ
kāra-parivarta and*
Dhāraṇ
īśvararāja-bodhisattva-parivartain the extant translations mentioned above. As Takasaki points out,2) the latter chapter, which makes up the main body of the Dhrp, deals with two topics, i.e., the characteristics and acts of Bodhisattvas and of the Tathāgata, respectively. The 32 Tathāgata acts are
enu-merated in the Dhrp as 10 powers (bala-), 4 grounds of self-confidence (vaiśāradya-), and 18 exclusive properties of a Buddha (āve
ṇ
ika-buddhadharma-). The 64 qualities of theBuddha, consisting of the 32 Tathāgata acts and the 32 physical characteristics of the Great Man (mahāpuruṣalakṣa
ṇ
a), are enumerated in the third chapter of the RGV.3)Bhāviveka also refers to the Dhrp as a representative Mahāyāna sūtras in his Tarkajvālā, when commenting on Madhyamakah
ṛ
dayakārikā IV.36.4)3. Quotations in the
Madhyamakāvatārabhās·ya
In the MABh, Candrakīrti quotes the Dhrp in his comments on MA VI.213 and XII.22–31, in which the 18 exclusive properties of a Buddha and the 10 powers are respectively ex-plained.5) Let us examine the contexts in which the Dhrp is quoted.
3.1. Topics in VI.201c–215
In the sixth chapter of the MA,6) verses 179–223 deal with 20 sorts of emptiness. The topic of MA(Bh) VI.201c–215 is the emptiness of own characteristic (svalakṣa
ṇ
aśūnyatā), andthe following Buddhist doctrinal categories are enumerated: the (5) aggregates (skandha-), (18) elements (dhātu-), and (12) spheres (āyatana-) in VI.202–204ab; dependent origina-tion (pratītyasamutpāda-) in VI.204 cd; the 6 perfecorigina-tions (pāramitā-) in VI.205–206ab; the (4) meditations (dhyāna-), (4) immeasurables (apramā
ṇ
a-), and (4) formless meditativeat-tainments (ārūpyasamāpatti-) in VI.207; the 37 aids to Enlightenment
(bodhipakṣya-dharma-) in VI.208ab; the 3 entrances to liberation (vimokṣamukha-) in VI.208cd–209ab;
the (8) liberations (vimokṣa-) in VI.209cd; the (10) powers in VI.210ab; the (4) grounds of self-confidence in VI.210cd; the (4) analytical knowledges (pratisa
ṃ
vid-) in VI.211ab;great friendliness (mahāk
ṛ
pā-) in VI.211cd; great compassion (mahākaruṇ
ā-), joy(muditā-), and equanimity (upekṣā-) in VI.212; and the (18) exclusive properties of a Bud-dha in VI.213. In addition to the 18 exclusive properties of a BudBud-dha, the other categories of the 32 Tathāgata acts, i.e., the 10 powers and 4 grounds of self-confidence are referred to in this context.
In the Prajñāpāramitā literature, furthermore, most of the categories listed above often occur within the context of discriminative insight connected with one single moment (ekakṣa
ṇ
asamāyuktā/ ekacittalakṣaṇ
asamāyuktā prajñā) and the adamantine-likeconcen-tration (vajropamasamādhi).7) A basic pattern of the descriptions in the Pañcavi
ṃ
O, Śāriputra, the Bodhisattva Mahāsattva, when immediately after the thought of enlightenment he has, with a wisdom conjoined with one single thought moment, entered on the adamantine concentrations, reaches the knowledge of all modes. He is endowed with the ten powers of a Tathāgata, the four grounds of self-confidence, the four analytical knowledges, the 18 special Buddhadharmas, the great friendliness, the great compassion, the great sympathetic joy, the great evenmindedness, and the unhindered deliverance of a Buddha.9)
Although the term adamantine-like concentration is not used in the MABh, it seems rea-sonable to presume that the Buddhist doctrinal categories which are found under the topic of the emptiness of own characteristic are closely related to the descriptions about subit-ism in the Prajñāpāramitā literature, especially those of the Pvp, for it is explicitly stated in VI.223 cd that the 20 sorts of emptiness are mentioned within the Prajñāpāramitā meth-od (prajñāpāramitānīti).10)
3.2. Quotations in the Twelfth Chapter
In the autocommentary to XII.22–31, Candrakīrti quotes the Dhrp s descriptions of the 10 powers one by one. Let us note in what follows, first, the main topic of the twelfth chapter, second, a presupposition for entering the Buddha stage, and finally, Candrakīrti s com-ments after the quotation of the Dhrp.
3.2.1 The Main Topic of the Twelfth Chapter
The twelfth chapter of the MA(Bh) discusses the qualities (gu
ṇ
a) of the Buddha stage(Buddhabhūmi), for it begins thus:
Hereafter, the one who wishes to make known just a little of the qualities of the Buddha stage, concerning the Buddha Bhagavat, says by means of the summarizing verse: [MA XII.1 follows.]11)
3.2.2 A Presupposition for Entering the Buddha Stage
In the commentary to the second verse (XII.2), a crucial factor for entering the Buddha stage is explicitly expressed. The verse is introduced by the following comments:
Showing that also there [i.e., in the Akaniṣṭha abode ('og min gyi gnas)] the Bhagavat who is about to attain Buddhahood achieves omniscient knowledge in only a single moment, he says: [MA XII.2 follows.]12)
Moreover, because this [i.e., the truth (de kho na nyid = tattva)] is ascertained within a single moment of awareness, the Bhagavat achieves omniscient knowledge in a single moment of awareness.13)
From the above, it is obvious that Candrakīrti presupposes subitism as necessary for enter-ing the Buddha stage. If this idea, as mentioned above, is derived from the Prajñapāramitā literature, we may presume that Candrakīrti had a close connection with the Pūrvaśaila branch of the Mahāsāṃghika sect.14)
3.2.3 Candrakīrti s Comments After the Quotations
After the quotations of the Dhrp, the following concluding remarks are found in the
MABh:
The Tathāgata is possessed of the unimaginable sphere of the knowledge; is connected with all qualities other than those; dwells indistinguishably from the Dharma body; is possessed of each of the extensive qualities which are examined by the example of space; and becomes a leader of the people who are included within the four great currents, namely lust, existence, wrong view, and ignorance, and have no leader ̶which can be said more extensively. Because of his fulfilment of all modes (sarvākāra), these ten powers of the Buddha the Bhagavat purify all modes in the
Samantaprabhā Buddha stage. Only the Buddha, indeed, is capable of distinguishing special
qualities such as each pore of the Rūpakāya of Buddhas, the Bhagavats, the [80] physical marks and [32] physical characteristics of the Great Man, the [4] powers, the [4] grounds of self-confidence, and the [18] exclusive properties of a Buddha, etc. Moreover, even if those who explain these qualities, even having a life-span of unthinkable and uncountable kalpas in the sphere of self-knowledge, would explain very quickly, without doing other tasks, they would never finish [explaining] these qualities. How is it possible for bodhisattvas? Needless to say, the
Pratyekabuddhas and Śrāvakas cannot know or explain the limit of Buddha qualities.15)
As stated above, the MABh recognizes the 32 Tathāgata acts̶the 10 powers, 4 grounds of self-confidence, and 18 exclusive properties of a Buddha
̶
as well as the 80 physical marks and 32 physical characteristics of a Great Man as the qualities of a Buddha.16) More importantly, we notice a clear distinction between a Buddha/Tathāgata and other beings, e.g., bodhisattvas, pratyekabuddhas, śrāvakas, etc.17)4. Conclusion
The MABh quotes the Dhrp s descriptions of the 18 exclusive properties of a Buddha and the 10 powers, which constitute the 32 Tathāgata acts. It is certain that Candrakīrti was
aware that the 32 Tathāgata acts in the Dhrp are important factors for explaining the quali-ties of the Buddha stage, which is definitely distinct from the stages for bodhisattvas,
pra-tyekabuddhas, and śrāvakas. Moreover, for the sake of the attainment of the Buddha stage,
Candrakīrti presupposes subitism which has been discussed and developed in the
Prajñāpāramitā literature.
* My special thanks are due to Profs. Jonathan A. Silk, Kevin A. Vose, and Anne MacDonald for invalu-able comments and English check. Needless to say, all remaining mistakes in this paper are my responsi-bility alone.
Notes
1) RGV ad I.2 (3, 15–17): eṣāṃ ca saptānāṃ vajrapadānāṃ svalakṣaṇanirdeśena yathākramam ārya- dhāraṇīśvararājasūtranidānaparivartānugatāni trīṇi padāni veditavyāni | tata ūrdhvam avaśiṣṭāni catvāri bodhisattvatathāgatadharmanirdeśabhedād iti | Takasaki (1966: 146): [The meaning of this verse is as
follows]: And of the seven Vajrapadas, accompanied by the explanation of their own characteristics, the three subjects should be known as being from the introductory chapter (nidāna-parivarta) of the Holy
Dhāraṇīśvararājasūtra, and then the remaining four [are to be known] from the chapter on the
distinc-tion between qualities of the Bodhisattva and those of the Buddha respectively. For an overview of the
Dhrp, see Takasaki 1974: 639–672.
2) See Takasaki 1974: 645.
3) RGV: 91–97; Takasaki 1966: 336–350.
4) See Eckel (2008: 191): The majority of Mahāyāna sūtras, such as the Prajñāpāramitā, the
Bodhisattvapiṭaka, the Akṣayamati, the Sāgaramati, the Gaganagañja, the Dhāraṇīśvararājā, the
Ratnacūḍa, and the Sāgaraparipṛcchā, teach this eightfold path is the cause of perfect awakening, …;
(Ibid., 367): shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa dang | byang chub sems dpa i sde snod dang | blo gros mi
zad [bzad P] pa dang | blo gros rgya mtsho dang | nam mkha mdzod dang | gzungs kyi dbang phyug rgyal po dang | gtsug na rin chen dang | rgya mtshos zhus pa la sogs pa theg pa chen po i mdo sde phal che ba las yang dag pa i lta ba la sogs pa lam di dag nyid yang dag par rdzogs pa i byang chub kyi rgyur bstan gyi |
5) For an overview of the Dhrp quotations in the MABh, see Yonezawa 2014: 101. 6) For the Sanskrit text, see Li 2014.
7) For a comprehensive survey of discriminative insight connected with one single moment and the adamantine-like concentration, see Watanabe 2009: 122–135 [Chapter 3: Satori heno isshun no chie 悟 りへの一瞬の智慧 *Discriminative Insight in the Moment Just before Enlightenment] and 189–210 [Chapter 6: 金剛喩定 (Vajropamasamādhi) の考察*Invesigation on the Vajropamasamādhi] respectively. The idea of discriminative insight connected with one single moment seems, according to the
Kathāvatthu-atthakathā (PTS edition: 195–196), common to that of the Pūrvaśaila or Aparaśaila branch
of the Mahāsāṃghika sect. See ibid.: 125. 8) Ibid.: 194.
9) Conze 1975: 79. This translation is based on Tibetan translation of the Pvp (P no. 731, nyi 77a8–b3; no. 5188, ga 92b7–93a2) or T no. 220: 21c14–17. In the Sanskrit Pvp quoted below as well as the other Chinese translations (T no. 221: 9b24; T no. 222: 159b11; T no. 223: 228a20), only two elements of the
four immeasurables, namely great friendliness and great compassion appear. Dutt (1934: 82, 7–11); Kimura (2007: 97, 25–29): yac chāriputra bodhisattvo mahāsattvo bodhicittānantaraṃ vajropamaṃ
samādhiṃ samāpadya ekacittakṣaṇasamāyuktayā prajñayā sarvākārajñatām anuprāpnoti, daśabhis
tathāgatabalaiḥ samanvāgataḥ, caturbhir vaiśāradyaiś catasṛbhiḥ pratisaṃvidbhir aṣṭādaśabhir āveṇikair
buddhadharmair mahāmaitryā mahākaruṇayā ca samanvāgataḥ.
10) Li (2014): prajñāpāramitānītāv ity etāḥ saṃprakīrtitā. The term Prajñāpāramitā method
(prajñāpāramitānīti-) is also found in the Pras. See MacDonald 2015a: 116, 6 and 2015b: 357–358 (Ap-pendix III).
11) de la Vallée Poussin (1907–1912: 355, 5–7): de i og tu sangs rgyas kyi sa i yon tan cung zad tsam cig
brjod par dod pas bstod pa sgrub pa i sgo nas sangs rgyas bcom ldan das kyi dbang du byas te bshad pa |
… .
12) de la Vallée Poussin (1907–1912: 356, 3–5): der mngon par rdzogs par tshang rgya ba na bcom ldan
das kyis skad cig gcig kho na la thams cad mkhyen pa i ye shes brnyes so zhes bya ba di bstan pa i phyir bshad pa | … .
13) de la Vallée Poussin (1907–1912: 356, 15–17): de yang mkhyen pa i skad cig gcig kho nas thugs su
chud pas bcom ldan das kyis mkhyen pa i skad cig gcig kho nas thams cad mkhyen pa i ye shes brnyes so ||
14) The verses called Shar gyi ri bo i sde pa dang mthun pa i tshigs su bcad pa (=
Pūrvaśailanikāyānuvartanagāthā) in the MABh (de la Vallée Poussin 1907–1912: 134, 1–2) are quoted
under the title of the Āgamasūtra in the Pras (de la Vallée Poussin 1903–1913: 548, 5). See Karashima 2015: 142 and note 7) above.
15) de la Vallée Poussin (1907–1912: 395. 18–396. 16): de ltar gang dag rnam pa thams cad du yongs su
rdzogs pa nyid las de bzhin gshegs pa i ye shes kyi yul bsam gyis mi khyab pa mnga ba | de dag las gzhan pa i yon tan mtha dag dang ldan pa | chos kyi sku dang tha mi dad par bzhugs pa | yon tan rgyas pa re re zhing dpe nam mkha gcig pus nye bar gzhal ba mnga ba rnams | gro ba dod pa dang srid pa dang lta ba dang | ma rig pa zhes bya ba chu bo chen po bzhi i nang du chud pa mgon med pa i mgon du gyur pa sangs rgyas bcom ldan das rnams kyi stobs bcu po di dag ni sangs rgyas kyi sa kun tu od du rnam pa thams cad du yongs su dag par 'gyur ro || rgya bskyed pas chog go || sangs rgyas bcom ldan das rnams kyi gzugs kyi sku i ba spu i bu ga re re dang | skyes bu chen po i mtshan dang | dpe byad dang | stobs dang | mi jigs pa dang | sangs rgyas kyi chos ma dres pa la sogs pa yon tan gyi khyad par yongs su gcod pa ni sangs rg-yas kho nas spyod la | gal te gsungs na ni rang nyid kyi ye shes kyi yul du gyur pas bskal pa grangs med pa bsam gyis mi khyab par sku tshe i tshad byin gyis brlabs shing phrin las gzhan mi mnga bar skyen pa sky-en par gsungs pa de lta na yang yon tan dag yongs su rdzogs par mi gyur na | byang chub sems dpas lta ci smos te rang sangs rgyas dang nyan thos rnams kyis sangs rgyas kyi yon tan mthar phyin par shes pa am brjod par nus par gyur ba lta smos kyang ci dgos |
16) Cf. RGV Chapter 3. 17) Cf. Watanabe 2009: 131. Abbreviations
Dhrp Dhāraṇīśvararājaparipṛcchā.
Pras Prasannapadā. See MacDonald 2015a and de la Vallée Poussin 1903–1913.
Pvp Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā. See Dutt 1934 and Kimura 2007.
MA(Bh) Madhyamakāvatāra(Bhāṣya). See de la Vallée Poussin 1907–1912.
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Key words Candrakīrti, Madhyamakāvatārabhāṣya, Dhāraṇīśvararājaparipṛcchā, Subitism, Buddha
stage, 32 Tathāgata acts, Ratnagotravibhāga-Mahāyānottaratantra.
