Overall Teaching

The Bodhisattva goes to school, despite knowing all scripts. He teaches those at the school through the teacher, who, when he mentions the syllables, also gives a Dharma-meaning.

Summary

1.     When the Bodhisattva was older and first went to school, he proceeded with a great procession with many carts filled with food and treasures. Girls and many kinds of deities dropped flowers. The procession was headed by the king and the Śākya factions. 

2.     When the Bodhisattva entered the school, the school master Viśvāmitra overwhelmed by his splendour prostrated to him. The god Śubhāṅga held him up and said in verse:

a.     The Bodhisattva learned whatever topics of knowledge there are aeons ago.

b.    He came for the sake of harmony and maturing children to the Mahāyāna and bringing other beings to nirvāṇa (immortality).

c.     Knowing the whole Dharma, how can he not know all scripts? He knew names of scripts that no one here even knows the name of.

3.     After the god disappeared, the Śākyas departed and nannies remained.

4.     The Bodhisattva took up the writing board made of sandalwood and asked Viśvāmitra which of the following 64 scripts (including scripts of devas) he would teach him, e.g. a. Brāhmī script, b. Karoṣṭī script.

5.     Viśvamitra then said the various syllables of the Sanskrit syllabary, and through the bodhisattva’s power he also taught a teaching of the Dharma.

•       A अ—anityaḥ sarvasaṃskāraḥ, all composite things are impermanent.[1]

•       Ā आ—ātmaparahita, benefit to oneself and others.

•       I इ—indriyavaipulya, vast development of the senses.

•       Ī ई—ītibahulaṃ jagat, the world has many plagues.

•       U उ—upadravabahulaṃ jagat, the world has many misfortunes.

•       Ū ऊ—ūnasattvaṃ jagat, the world is of little substance.

•       E ए—eṣaṇāsamutthānadoṣa, faults come from desire.

•       Ai ऐ—airyāpathaḥ śreyāniti, the noble path is virtuous.

•       O ओ—oghottara, the stream has been crossed.

•       Au औ—aupapāduka, spontaneously generated.

•       Aṃ अं—amoghotpatti, arising of the efficacious.

•       Aḥ अः—astaṃgamana, reaching an end.

•       Ka क—karmavipākāvatāra, entering the ripening of karma.

•       Kha ख—khasamasarvadharma, all dharmas are like space.

•       Ga ग—gambhīradharmapratītyasamutpādāvatāra, entering the profound Dharma of dependent origination.

•       Gha घ—ghanapaṭalāvidyāmohāndhakāravidhamana, eradicating the darkness of delusion and the thick veils of ignorance.

•       Ṅ ङ—aṅgaviśuddhi, complete purification of factors/aspects.[2]

•       Ca च—caturāryasatyapatha, path of the four noble truths.

•       Cha छ—chandarāgaprahāṇa, abandoning the passion of lust.

•       Ja ज—jarāmaraṇasamatikramaṇa, transcending old age and death.

•       Jha झ—jhaṣadhvajabalanigrahaṇa, vanquishing the forces of the god of love.

•       Ña ञ—jñāpana, making known.

•       Ṭa ट—vaṭṭopacchedana, severing the round of rebirths.

•       Ṭha ठ—ṭhapanīyapraśna, a question rejected out-of-hand.

•       Ḍa ड—ḍamaramāranigrahaṇa, vanquishing Māra and those who cause discord.

•       Ḍha ढ—mīḍhaviṣayāḥ, the impure regions.

•       Ṇa ण—reṇukleśāḥ, afflictions are subtle.

•       Ta त—tathatāsaṃbheda, undivided suchness.

•       Tha थ—thāmabalavegavaiśāradya, strength, power, force, and selfconfidence.

•       Da द—dānadamasaṃyamasaurabhya, generosity, discipline, restrained, and gentlness.

•       Dha ध—dhanamāryāṇāṃ saptavidham, the wealth of the noble ones is sevenfold.

•       Na न—nāmarūpaparijñā, full knowledge of name and form.

•       Pa प—paramārtha, higher meaning (“absolute truth”).

•       Pha फ—phalaprāptisākṣātkriyā, actualisation of the attainment of the fruit.

•       Ba ब—bandhanamokṣa, liberation from bondage.

•       Bha भ—bhavavibhava, the destruction of existence.

•       Ma म—madamānopaśamana, cessation of arrogance and pride.

•       Ya य—yathāvaddharmaprativedha, understanding dharmas just as they are.

•       Ra र—ratyaratiparamārtharati, dissatisfaction with pleasure is delighting in the absolute.

•       La ल—latāchedana, severing the vine.

•       Va व—varayāna, the best vehicle.

•       Śa श—śamathavipaśyanā, calm-abiding and insight.

•       Ṣa ष—ṣadāyatananigrahaṇābhijñājñānāvāpti, destroying the six sense bases and attaining the higher knowledges and wisdoms.

•       Sa स—sarvajñajñānābhisaṃbodhana, attaining perfect awakening to omniscient wisdom.

•       Ha ह—hatakleśavirāga, destroying the afflictions and parting from desire.

•       Kṣa क्ष—kṣaraparyantābhilāpya sarvadharma, reaching the end of syllables, all phenomena are ineffable (or, all dharmas are inexpressible).

6.     This teaching allowed 32000 children in the school to give rise to bodhicitta, which is why the Bodhisattva attended school.

[1] The script used as an exemplar here is Devanagari as an exemplar of South Asian scripts of a similar family to those mentioned in the sūtra, which will be compatible with most users' computers, but it should be borne in mind that this script was not around at the time of the sūtra's redaction.

[2] Some syllables, like ṅ, cannot begin words.