Taishō no. 1187

Translated into Chinese by Dānapāla (c. 980)

Translated into English by Shaku Shingan (12.1.2026)

Translator’s Introduction

The Chapter on the Samādhi of the Meaning of All Names: The Supreme Esoteric Wisdom Body of the Most Excellent Mañjuśrī is a chapter originally excerpted from a larger, no-longer-extant, Māyājāla Tantra. It describes Mañjuśrī as the knowledge of all buddhas itself, as well as the personal figure of all buddhas, and the primordial Buddha, or Ādibuddha, which is unarisen. This is an expression of the primordial nature of the Buddha, which is also the inherent nature of all beings’ minds that neither arises nor ceases, which has five profound knowledges, such as mirror-like knowledge. It also depicts Mañjuśrī as the source of all sorts of non-Buddhist deities, such as Viṣṇu and even the Mahdi, manifested to guide non-Buddhists to the Dharma. This non-dualist text is commonly recited liturgically, as it encourages towards the end, and is a popular daily recitation in Newar Buddhism.

The title of the text, throughout, is referred to as the “Esoteric Names and Meanings,” i.e., the esoteric names and meanings of Mañjuśrī—as both a personafiable figure and the principle of awakened knowledge itself. This may be a rendition of the Sanskrit Paramārthanāma, which is often used as the title in Nepal, where in full it is sometimes referred to as the Paramārthanāmasamgīti. It is also referred to as a “Samādhi,” which can be understood, not strictly as a meditative attainment, but the term is used in the Samādhirāja, both an attainment or realisation and a text. Finally, it is also referred to as the supreme esoteric wisdom body (jñānakāya) of Mañjuśrī. Implying that the text itself is both Mañjuśrī and wisdom itself. The name Nāmasaṅgīti, or “song of names,” does not occur in the Chinese text in any form.

The Chinese translation by Dānapāla presented here does not itself have headings or verse numbers. All headings and verse numbers are taken from the Sanskrit text as commonly is found today (cf. version on the DSBC Project website). These are thus not meant as “verse numbers” in the literal sense in this translation, but as guidelines to help readers identify the Sanskrit equivalents—though readers should understand that this is a translation of Dānapāla’s Chinese, and not an attempt to reconstruct something that may have existed. Notes are provided for additional clarification where needed, or to add detail based on the Sanskrit. Other Chinese translations are found in T1188 (Jin Zong Chi), T1189 (Shaluoba), and T1190 (Zhihui)

Fascicle 1

Sixteen Verses Requesting Instruction

(1) Then the greatly auspicious,

The supreme Vajrapāṇi, 

Who possesses all merits,

Who can tame those difficult to tame, 

The one triumphant over the Triple World,

The most honoured and greatly fearless, 

Who, over all guhyakas,

Is the lord and sovereign, 

(2) With lotus-like eyes of right knowledge,

Eyebrows too resembling lotuses, 

Who before the Buddha Bhagavān,

Playfully tosses his vajra-mallet, 

(3) Whereupon, in an instant,

There appear an infinite number of 

Vajrapāṇis all around.

When he tosses his vajra playfully, 

Then a koṭi of them assembles.

(4) With their vajras radiating light, 

Their faces have furrowed brows,

And they are heroic and greatly fearless, 

With authoritative power and supremacy,

Subduing all; 

Possessing compassion, wisdom, and skilful means,

They benefit both themselves and the world.

(5) Their bodies and minds are greatly joyful,

And they attain the highest sublime bliss. 

Yet they also manifest wrathful forms,

Accomplishing the work of the Buddha Bhagavān; 

They all universally embrace and protect,

Allowing everyone to acquire benefit and joy. 

(6) Then, Vajrapāṇi,

Prostrating to the Perfectly Awakened Bhagavān, 

Śākyamuni Buddha,

Joined his palms and addressed him, saying:

“(8) All kinds of sentient beings

Are foolishly mired in the mud of saṃsāra; 

They give rise to defilements and confusion,

And have no means of liberation. 

(7) I pray that you compassionately benefit and bring them happiness,

So that I, and all sentient beings, 

May attain, in accordance with reality,

May fully understand the Net of Illusion.[1]

(9) The Buddha, the World’s Teacher,

Please expound the True Dharma, 

To benefit and bring joy to all sentient beings,

Causing them to attain the unsurpassed fruit. 

The Great Samādhi of All Buddhas

And the Supreme Knowledge of Reality 

Can discern sentient beings’

Faculties, desires, and natures. 

(10) The assembly of the Bhagavān’s right knowledge [in this text]

Manifests the uṣṇīṣa, 

Which is the excellent virtue of true knowledge,

The most supreme self-arisen knowledge.[2]

(11) It is a thorough understanding of the deeply profound meaning,

The extensive great meaning of all, 

The meaning of peerless tranquillity,

The highest and most excellent meaning; 

Within this great yoga teaching,

Which is the Esoteric Names and Meanings [of Mañjuśrī], 

This Chapter of the Sacred Samādhi,

Which is good in the beginning, middle, and end. 

(12) It was proclaimed by buddhas of the past,

It will be proclaimed by buddhas of the future, 

And presently the Bhagavān, now,

Expounds it, covering all three times. 

(13) Now, from this Net of Illusion,

I am born forth; 

And joyfully, great vajrapāṇīs

Skilfully uphold all its vidyās. 

(14) Likewise, with the Dharma I have obtained,

I joyfully cherish and take up and bear it,

With a most excellent and firm intent;

It is the esoteric essence of the buddhas. 

(15) According to the dispositions of sentient beings,

I wish to expound this supreme Dharma, 

Eliminating all defilements without remainder,

Causing them all to attain supreme knowledge.

Six Verses of Reply

(17) Thus Guhyakādhipati,

Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, 

Having made this request with palms joined in reverence, Remained standing before the Buddha. 

Then the Honored One Among Bipeds, 

Śākyamuni Buddha, 

Extending his tongue from his mouth, 

(18) Emitted a vast and great radiance 

That illuminated the ten directions 

And purified all the evil realms. 

(19) Wherever this light shone in the Triple World, 

The four Māras were entirely subdued. 

He then uttered with his melodious Brahmā-like voice,

Which was heard throughout the Triple World, 

Praising the Guhyakādhipati, 

Vajrapāṇi of Great Power and Wisdom. 

At that time, the Buddha spoke these words:

“(20) Sādhu! O Vajrapāṇi! 

Auspicious and most supreme, 

Valiant Vajrapāṇi! 

Because of your great compassion and skilful means, 

Which extensively benefit the world, 

(21) You have exhorted and requested of me 

To speak this esoteric Dharma door. 

The Esoteric Names and Meanings [of Mañjuśrī],

Which is the Wisdom Body of Mañjuśrī, 

The most supreme and great auspiciousness, 

Capable of subduing all demons and māras. 

(22) I shall now explain it well. 

You, O Guhyakādhipati, 

Abiding in the foremost single-mindedness, 

Will listen attentively to what the Buddha says.”

Two Verses on the Six Buddha Families

(23) Then Śākyamuni, the Blessed One, 

Spoke these Dharma words: 

“Exhaustively encompassing the Mantra family, 

The great family of Mantra Vidyādharas, 

The family of the Three Secrets of Contemplation, 

Which is the supreme family of the world, 

(24) The family of the mundane and supramundane, 

The supreme family of the Mahāmudrā, 

And the family of the Great Uṣṇīṣa—

Such are these various families.

Three Verses on the Steps to Full Awakening According to the Māyājāla Tantra

(25) Universally gathering all dharmas,

This is the Secret Names and Meanings. 

This sixfold Great Vidyārāja

Is non-dual, but spoken with duality, 

This is the expression of the Dharma of Non-Arising, 

And from it they are born. 

This is expressed as: 

‘(26) a ā i ī u ū e ai o au aṃ aḥ’

This Dharma abides in the hearts of all the wise; 

It is what the buddhas of the three times have together proclaimed.

Further, the great vidyā is expressed as: 

‘(27) oṃ vajratīkṣṇa-duḥkha-ccheda-prajñā-jñānamūrtaye!’

Homage to the Wisdom Body, the Lord of Speech! Homage to you, Arapacana!

Fourteen Verses on the Knowledge of the Vajradhātu Maṇḍala

“(28) The syllable “A” is right knowledge, 

The source from which all buddhas are born. 

It is further the embodiment of all supreme marks, 

The letter of the most supreme meaning. 

(29) It is the meaning of the great arising of non-arising,

Transcending both nourishment and language. 

Abandoning the highest attachment and delight, 

It is the purity of all verbal action. 

(30) Through the supreme, intensified desire, 

It subdues the defiled conduct of all sentient beings. 

Through the supreme, intensified anger, 

It is the great enemy of all afflictions. 

(31) Through the supreme, intensified delusion, 

It removes bewilderment, the obstacle of knowledge. 

Through the supreme, intensified wrath, 

It is the great enemy of great anger. 

(32) Through the supreme, intensified passion,

It disentangles all that is bound by passion. 

Greed, hatred, and the rest, when thus intensified,

Are all part of the supreme increase. 

(33) This secret and wondrous Dharma-gate, 

Thoroughly understood, allows one to be far removed from them. 

(34) Wielding the sword of great wisdom,

One shatters the peak[3] of all afflictions. 

Manifesting great form, great body,

Great marks[4] and great power, 

Great name, great majesty, 

Great extensive fullness,[5]

Great desire, great sovereignty, 

Great joy and great bliss, 

Great love, great fame, 

Great light, and great illumination. 

(35) Possessing all greatness, 

Becoming one with great wisdom,[6]

Thoroughly understanding the Great Illusion,

Accomplishing the purpose of the Great Illusion, 

Attaining the wondrous bliss of the Great Illusion,

One recognises the fundamental Net of Illusion.[7]

(36) A great benefactor of great wealth,

The supreme upholder of pure precepts, 

With great patience and great knowledge, 

Arousing great diligence, 

(37) With great dhyāna and samādhi, 

A firm mass of great wisdom, 

Great skilful means, great vows, 

The great ocean of power and knowledge, 

(38) With great loving-kindness and equanimity amidst dharmas, 

And a superior greatly compassionate mind, 

With great wisdom, one is thoroughly awakened,

Extensively performing acts of great skilful means. 

(39) With great supernormal powers and transformations,

With great speed and swiftness, 

Great supernormal powers, masterful and sovereign, 

With great power and great valour. 

(40) Skilled in ferrying across all who suffer in existence,

The great Vajradhara, 

With great ferocity and extreme wrath,

Creates great terror that frightens all. 

(41) With great light that shatters all darkness, 

The great mantra of the supremely honoured one, 

Is the Mahāyāna teaching that rescues and ferries across, 

The supreme teaching of the Mahāyāna.

Twenty-Five Verses, less a Quarter, on the Deeply Pure Knowledge of The Dharmadhātu

— The Fifth of the Five Knowledges —

(42) He is the Dharma Body, Mahāvairocana,

The Greatly tranquil Great Muni, 

The rare Great Mantra of Light,

Himself by nature the Great Mantra of Light. 

(43) Having attained the Ten Pāramitās,

Relying on the Ten Pāramitās, 

Purified by the Ten Pāramitās,

And teaching the Ten Pāramitās. 

(44) The Lord of the Ten Bhūmis,

Well-abiding on the Ten Bhūmis, 

Himself Pure in the Ten Knowledges,

Pure and solid in the Ten Knowledges. 

(45) With the Ten Marks and Ten Meanings,

The Ten Powers, with all faculties stilled,[8]

Supreme in the meaning of True Constancy,

Tranquil amidst the Ten Marks. 

(46) He is far removed from all conceptual proliferation,

Pure in Self and Thusness. 

He speaks as it is, speaking the Truth,

Acting according to thusness without deviation [from his words]. 

(47) Non-dual, yet speaking in dualities,

Wholly abiding at the bhūtakoṭi.

His Lion’s Roar of No-self,

Terrifies all those who grasp at forms, 

And he is liberated everywhere.

(48) Swift according with the intent of the Tathāgata, 

He subdues all powerful enemies,

As if he had the Great Power of a Wheel-Turning King. 

(49) Supreme among all dharmas,[9]

Ruler and beloved [by the multitude],[10]

His great majesty and great knowledge,

Are unconquerable by any teaching. 

(50) Sovereign in all words,

With unlimited actions of right speech, 

Which is true in words and meaning,

He proclaims the Four Noble Truths. 

(51) Accordant with the śrāvaka assembly,[11]

And with non-returning anāgāmins, 

(52) And those arhats,[12]

And the bhikṣus who have exhausted outflows. 

The honoured superiors with sharp faculties,

The heroic pratyekabuddhas, 

Though arising in various ways,

Share with him the same one Mark of Reality.

(54) All use the word of wisdom

To cut off afflictions without remainder, 

Attaining peace and fearlessness,

And well-abiding at the limit of saṃsāra.

(53) Possessing knowledge and conduct,

The Sugata, the Knower of the World, 

Cannot give rise to a mark of self or mine,

And abides in the Dharma of the Two Truths. 

Crossing beyond the limit of saṃsāra,

What was to be done is already done for him. 

He is born of pure singular knowledge,

The sword of wisdom, which is great, fierce and sharp. 

(55) Gathering of the Light of True Dharma,

Illuminating the mundane and supramundane, 

The Dharma King, The Dharma Lord,

Proclaims the most victorious Path. 

(56) Accomplishing the meaning of discrimination,

Yet departing from all marks of discrimination, 

The realm of discrimination is exhausted,

And one reveals the Supreme Dharmadhātu. 

(57) Meritorious speech is born of merit;

Great knowledge is created by knowledge; 

Should one generate the thought of right knowledge,

The two dharmas (merit and wisdom) are born thereby. 

(58) Ultimately departing from all marks,[13]

One becomes a master of yogic dhyāna, 

An immovable great sovereign,

Whose supreme essence is the Three Bodies. 

(59) The Lord of the Five Bodies and right knowledge,

The great Lord of the Five Knowledges, 

Wondrously adorned with the Pañcabuddha Crown,

One’s five eyes become pure and without attachment. 

(60) The Most Victorious Honoured One among all buddhas, 

Gives birth to all sons of the Buddha.[14]

Born of the Supreme Wisdom, 

They act in accord with the True Dharma. 

(61) Being the Vajra-like one, of the one true principle,

One is born supreme as Lord of the World, 

With space-like[15] self-arisen[16] knowledge,

With the eye of great knowledge and wisdom. 

(62) His great light universally illuminates,

He is Vairocana, of the great light of knowledge, 

Whose lamp of the light of wisdom illuminates the world,

And whose great light blazes and flourishes. 

(63) The supreme mantra king, the Vidyārāja,

Acting as the great Mantrarāja, 

With the Great Uṣṇīṣa, the True Crown,

Is the master at manifesting various marks. 

(64) The selfless nature of all buddhas

Universally illuminates boundless realms, 

And while manifesting amidst a multitude of forms,

Offerings are made to the great immortal Honoured One. 

(65) Being a mantrin of the three families,

In the Dharma of the great samādhi mantra, 

One bears the most victorious Triple Gem,

And teaches on the supreme Three Vehicles. 

(66) The most victorious unfailing lasso,[17]

The vajra-like lasso of great gathering, 

The Vajra-hook[18] and the great lasso,[19]

And the great Vajra which can terrify.

Ten Verses and a Quarter Verses, Praising Mirror-Like Knowledge

— The First of the Five Knowledges —

(*) From the Vajra Akṣobhya Buddha,

Which is Great Mirror-Like Knowledge, 

Knowledge is born,

And all the gates of skilful means.[20]

(67) Manifesting the form of Great Wrath,

That form possesses six faces, 

Six eyes and six arms,

Perfect and of great power. 

With sharp teeth protruding outwards,

Greatly fierce and extremely terrifying. 

Also manifesting a Great Laughing form,

Adorned with a hundred eyes.[21]

(68) Manifesting as Yamantaka,[22]

The terrifying vajra form. 

The supreme heart vajra,

The vast illusion vajra, 

(69) Of the most victorious Vajra Family,

The incomparable vajra field. 

The Immovable[23] Honoured One with One Topknot,

With elephant skin as adornment. 

(70) Making the sound “Ha Ha”, with great ferocity,

Making the sound “Hi Hi”, with great terror, 

Making the sound “A-ta”, with great laughter,

The one of vajra joy, and a great roar. 

(71) The Vajrasattva Mahāsattva,

The Vajra King, of great bliss. 

Of the vajra mark, with great joy,

With the Vajra Wisdom of the syllable “hūṃ.”

(72) Holding the vajra arrow of wisdom,

Grasping the sharp vajra sword, 

Manifesting skilful vajra activity:

His vajra destroys the opposing army. 

(73) His fierce gaze with vajra flames,

A vajra blaze on his head, 

A great vajra-possession,

A hundred eyes, and vajra eyes. 

(74) With vajra body-romas,[24]

Gathered in a single hair-pore, 

Countless millions of nakhas,[25]

He abides in the vajra-sara.[26]

(75) He is the noble holder of the vajra garland,

Adorned with vajra jewels, 

He laughs with the great sound ‘hāhāṭta!,’

And has the vajra sound of a hundred-syllables.[27]

(76) He’s Mañjughoṣa,[28] of the Great Roar,

Universally vibrating the Triple World.

Forty-Two Verses on the Knowledge of Discernment

— The Second of the Five Knowledges —

(77) The realm of empty space is boundless,

His voice and sound are also unhindered. 

[Thus,] true suchness has no mark of self

And the Bhūtakoṭī is without obstruction.

(78) The nature of emptiness departs from speech,

Speaking the vast and extremely profound; 

It is the emission of the sound of the Great Dharma Conch,

The striking of the Great Dharma Gaṇḍi.

(79) The Buddha’s mighty power is unsurpassable

And sounds the Dharma Drum in the ten directions; 

It manifests form within the formless,

Various forms, excellent and wonderful, 

Its auspicious light of manifold forms,

Manifests images without remainder. 

(80) Most victorious Great Lord,

The Great Sovereign of the Triple World, 

Reveals and displays all Noble Paths,

Setting up the vast banner of the Great Dharma. 

(81) Within the Triple World,

He may appear in a child’s body, 

Or manifests the marks of an elder,

An honoured senior, a Great World Lord, 

With the thirty-two marks of a buddha,

Perfectly full and complete, 

Pervading throughout the Triple World;

Those who gaze up at him generate joy. 

(82) The mentor of worldly wisdom and merit,

Acts in the world without fear; 

Supreme within the Triple World,

He acts as Lord; acts as a refuge. 

(83) Born from the womb of space,[29]

The ocean of the wisdom of all-knowledge, 

[He breaks] the thick shell of ignorance,

And all bonds of the three existences; 

(84) He extinguishes afflictions without remainder,

Crossing to the shore beyond saṃsāra,

Wearing the wisdom crown of abhiṣeka,

Adorned by perfect awakening. 

(85) He extinguishes the three sufferings and the like,

Attaining liberation from the three times, 

Far removed from all obstacles,

Pure and equal to space. 

(86) Transcending the filth of afflictions,

Equal throughout the three times, 

He is a great nāga for all beings,

Manifesting the summit of the mountain of merit. 

(87) Liberated from all things,

He is like a wonderful jewelled lotus; 

A great wish-fulfilling jewel,

Supreme among a multitude of jewels. 

(88) The firm great kalpa tree,

The supreme great auspicious vase, 

Benefiting all sentient beings,

Entirely through Skilful Means. 

(89) His pure wisdom, knows the aspects of purity;

His supreme samādhi-knowledge 

Understands and distinguishes beings’ faculties,

Possessing the Three Kinds of Liberation. 

(90) He possesses merit, wisdom, and Dharma knowledge,

Vast benefit and auspiciousness— 

The most auspicious of the auspicious—

And he obtains fame and vast love. 

(91) Possessing noble wealth and great riches,

Great joy and also great bliss, 

Good aim and good action,

Joyful praise and great auspiciousness, 

(92) His most victorious great vow,

Acts as the supreme rescuer and protector— 

All great terrors in existence,

He extinguishes without remainder. 

(93) He is the one of the wonderful summit,[30] summit of merit,

Supreme silent summit; 

The honoured one with five eyes and five topknots,

With five cīraka[31] topknots. 

(94) He practises great asceticism,

Knowing himself to be liberated, 

And by his own practices,

He declares the supreme Brahmā-like conduct.

(95) He declares himself as the great sage,

Having attained the ultimate Dharma, 

He completed the tīrthikas’ “bathing the body,”

And all such views they grasp at, 

And he is born of Brahmā,

And his cessation is birth in Brahmā’s heaven, 

Which is attaining liberation from bonds,

The unhindered silent Dharma.[32]

(96) Witnessing silent nirvāṇa,

He obtains supreme perfect stillness; 

Understanding the limits of suffering and joy,

He extinguishes greed and such dharmas. 

(97) Unsurpassed, incomparable,

Without marks and without attachment, 

He is said to be attained nirvāṇa,

Which goes beyond all paths; 

Which is [unlike] such evil graspings [of ascetics],

Which are all incorrect liberations— 

They cannot fully know

The subtle seed without outflows. 

(98) Pure, removed from dust and defilement,

Far removed from all faults, 

He is awakened only by right knowledge,

Thoroughly understanding with all-knowledge. 

(99) All those dharmas of consciousness,

He observes with non-dual wisdom; 

Departing from doubt and discrimination,

He is of the same body as the buddhas of three times. 

(100) Without beginning and without end,[33]

He observes with the one knowledge eye; 

He is born from the knowledge crown of the Tathāgata,

Of the same body and without filth. 

(101) Sovereign of speech, great speech,

Victorious speech, supreme speech, 

The unsurpassed lion’s roar,

Unsurpassed, and incomparable. 

(102) Universally manifesting form, great joy,

Or manifesting the mark of a fire garland,[34]

Or auspicious wonderful light,

Great light blazing and flourishing. 

(103) Sovereign victor over all,

Of the supreme Dharma departing from defilement, 

Like an unsurpassable wonderful physician,

Curing the enemy of all afflictions. 

(104) With great auspiciousness among the Triple World,

In the maṇḍala of the multitude of stars, 

He establishes the great Dharma banner,

Displaying it in the realms of the ten directions. 

(105) He is the one of the vast great jewelled canopy,

Covering the entire world; 

His two dharmas of loving-kindness and compassion,

Create a great maṇḍala, 

A great auspicious lotus,

Sovereign as an adornment, 

A supreme jewelled canopy and the like,

Adorn the surrounding circumference. 

(106) He is the great ruler of all buddhas,

The self-nature of the heart of all buddhas, 

The great yoga of all buddhas,

One with the teaching of all buddhas. 

(107) The consecration of the vajra jewel,

The sovereign lord of the multitude of jewels, 

He is Lord of All Observations,[35]

And the honoured one of all vajradharas. 

(108) He is the vast great heart of all buddhas,

The supreme mind of all buddhas, 

Vast body of all buddhas,

True speech of all buddhas. 

(109) He is the vajra sun, great brightness,

The pure root Vajra, 

Blazing light of multitudinous forms,

Illuminating the self-nature of greed and the like. 

(110) Sitting in the lotus posture of awakening,

He speaks the meaning of the essence of the wonderful Dharma, 

The store of the knowledge of all-knowledge,

Born from the lotus of awakening. 

(111) He is the lord within the multitude of illusions,

The vidyādhara, great awakened honoured one, 

The great sharp vajra sword,

Cutting off all suffering and affliction. 

The supreme pure syllable.

(112) He is the great vajra dharma weapon, 

The vajra, of extremely deep meaning,

Understood by vajra wisdom. 

(113) He possesses all paramitās,

Acting as the adornment of the great earth, 

The Dharma without self, pure,

The root heart of right knowledge. 

(114) He is the great teaching of the Net of Illusion,

The lord within all teachings, 

Born of the most victorious vajra,

He is the assemblage of the most victorious great wisdom. 

(115) He is Great Samantabhadra, of wonderful intent,

Kṣitigarbha, the lord of the world, 

The great Dharma treasury of all buddhas,

Manifesting the wheel of multitudinous transformations. 

(116) He is the supreme self-nature of all natures,

The self-nature heart of all natures, 

The purpose of the unborn Dharma,

Which is the self-nature of all dharmas. 

(117) He is great knowledge in a single instant,

He is the realisation of all dharmas, 

Manifesting the samādhi of all dharmas,

The great silence of reality. 

(118) He manifests the realisation of all buddhas,

Is the honoured one of perfect awakening; 

He emits the light of great wisdom,

Illuminating the self-nature of no-self.

Fascicle 2

Twenty-Four Verses on Knowledge of Equality

— The Third of the Five Knowledges —

“(119) He is the victorious Dharma of accomplishment,

Able to perform supreme transformations, 

Appearing in various bodies,

Purifying all evil realms, 

Acting as lord and reliance

For all sentient beings, 

Causing the entire realm of sentient beings

To universally attain liberation. 

(120) Entering the battle array of afflictions,

He acts as a solid hero, 

Destroying the great enemies of ignorance

Without any remainder; 

With a heroic mind never retreating,

Awe-inspiring, victorious, and great auspiciousness, 

Manifesting fearless forms,

Causing all to submit in respect; 

(121) Or manifesting a body of awe and power,

With the mark of a hundred arms overcoming enemies, 

Or lowering the foot,

Pressing the ground with a dancing mark, 

Or manifesting auspicious arms,

Abiding sovereign in space; 

(122) Or touching the ground with one foot,

Forming a great maṇḍala, 

Or extending one toe of the foot,

Reaching beyond the Brahmā realm. 

(123) One should understand that all transformations

Are but one dharma, non-dual; 

Sovereign within all dharmas,

The supreme ultimate meaning; 

Various manifested forms and the like

Are all created by supernormal power; 

All dharmas of mind and consciousness

Are born from skilful means. 

(124) Past defilements of existence

Result in the differences of the three existences; 

Yet that supreme nature of emptiness

Is true, real, and immovable. 

(125) Like the autumn moon first appearing,

The darkness of clouds is all purified; 

The maṇḍala of the Dharmadhātu,

Which greed and the like cannot defile. 

(126) The supreme mani jewel,

Manifesting as sapphire and great blue, 

Being the most victorious auspiciousness,

Adorned by the Buddha’s transformations. 

(127) Manifesting the great step of the supernormal foot,

Universally shaking the three realms, 

He holds the self-nature of all samādhis

And right mindfulness, 

Distinguishing the four foundations of mindfulness and the like

As they really are. 

(128) The blooming flower of the seven factors of awakening,

Its fragrance smelled everywhere, 

Proclaiming the Noble Eightfold Path,

Perfecting the fruit of all wisdom, 

The ocean of the Tathāgata’s merit.

(129) Giving birth to all dharmas, 

Universally causing all sentient beings

To achieve the path of perfect awakening; 

Toward all kinds of sentient beings,

He is unattached like the void; 

Born from the minds of sentient beings,

Swift as the minds of sentient beings. 

(130) He understands the faculties, desires, and natures of sentient beings

And all their differences, 

He understands the true meaning of the five aggregates,

Seeing the five aggregates as pure. 

(131) All deeds of transformation,

All matters of transformation, 

And all words of transformation

Abide at the bhūtakoṭi. 

(132) The twelve links of existence and

The twelve marks are pure, 

The aspects of the teaching of the Four Noble Truths,

Are understood by the eight wisdoms. 

(133) The true meaning of the twelve marks,

The reality of the sixteen marks, 

The twenty marks of perfect awakening,

Awakening to and understanding all dharmas. 

(134) All these characteristics of dharmas

Are taught by the Buddha’s transformations, 

Appearing in various transformation bodies,

Causing all to observe them; 

In a single instant,

Manifesting all samādhis; 

In a single instant,

One understands all dharmas of the mind. 

(135) Proclaiming the skilful means of the vehicles,

He universally benefits the worlds; 

Though displaying and speaking of three vehicles,

He abides in the holy fruit of the one vehicle. 

(136) The realm of afflictions is pure,

And the realm of karma is exhausted; 

Having crossed the ocean of afflictions,

He abides in the yoga of all dharmas. 

(137) Afflictions and secondary afflictions

Are cut off and extinguished without remainder; 

Generating compassion, wisdom, and skilful means,

He is one who benefits himself and benefits the world. 

(138) If all conceptions are cut off,

All dharmas of consciousness are extinguished; 

Resting the mental realm of sentient beings,

Going beyond the minds of sentient beings. 

(139) The minds of sentient beings abide in peace,

All dharmas of the mind are equal; 

The minds of sentient beings generate joy,

The minds of sentient beings find great bliss. 

(140) Accomplishing the most victorious cloud,

Able to remove the darkness of all clouds, 

The honoured one of great awakening of the three times

Acts as an assemblage of great merit. 

(141) Observing the meaning of the five aggregates and the three times

In every instant; 

In a single instant he is able to realise

The self-nature of all buddhas. 

(142) The supreme body without attachment,

Which is the true mark of the body, 

Manifests all forms and images;

The great mani jewel banner.

Fifteen Verses on the Knowledge of Carrying Out Duty

— The Fourth of the Five Knowledges —

(143) The honoured one of perfect awakening of all buddhas,

The unsurpassed great bodhi, 

Who is the speaking of the great mantras of the three divisions,

Departing from the discrimination of letters. 

(144) The supreme meaning of all vidyā mantras,

Without marks of letters and the like, 

The great void of five syllables,

The mark of a hundred syllables, which is also empty. 

(145) All marks and non-marks,

And the sixteen marks and the like, 

That without marks and immovable,

Abiding in the mind of the fourth dhyana. 

(146) Penetrating the parts of all concentrations,

Gathered by samādhi; 

The victorious body of samādhi,

Sovereign over all bodies.[36]

(147) The transformation body,[37] the supreme body,

That which all buddhas transform; 

Self-transforming in the ten directions,

Saving the world according to principle. 

(148) The lords of all devas,

Heavenly ministers and heavenly multitudes, 

And the non-māra heavens,

Down to the asuras; 

all such devas,

The Buddha’s spiritual power transforms, 

Taming and subduing every one of them,[38]

Making them abide in the samādhi of all buddhas. 

(149) Within the worlds of the ten directions,

He is most victorious guide; 

Acting as the great dharma benefactor,

Vastly crossing the ocean of existence. 

(150) Using the two dharmas of loving-kindness and compassion

As solid armor, 

He holds the wisdom sword and the like,

Breaking down the great enemy of affliction. 

(151) All four kinds of maras,

And the retinues of all maras, 

Those difficult to tame who ruin the good dharma,

The perfectly awakened one tames them all. 

(152) The devas and māras have taken refuge in the Buddha,

All discard their hearts of pride; 

Making respectful offerings

To the Tathāgata, the most victorious teacher. 

(153) The Buddha, within the three realms,

Moves with the great stride of the divine foot, 

Revealing the dharma of the three knowledges,

The six penetrations, six mindfulnesses and the like. 

(154) The Bodhisattva Mahāsattva,

With the mighty power of past worlds, 

With the ultimate paramitā:

Understanding the true victorious Prajñā. 

(155) He is sovereign over all self,

The victorious pudgala; 

He is beyond all comparison;

Wisdom cannot know him. 

(156) The supreme Dharma benefactor,

Proclaiming the meaning of the four seals; 

For the benefit of the world,

Giving birth to the dharma of the three vehicles. 

(157) The purity of the ultimate truth,

The victorious wonderful lord of the three times; 

Making all things auspicious,

He is Mañjuśrī, the supreme root.

Five Verses in Praise of the Tathāgatas

(158) Homage to the Vajra, great granter of vows,

Homage to the principle of the bhūtakoṭi and true suchness, 

Homage to the supreme wonderful store of emptiness,

Homage to the unsurpassed Buddha Bodhi. 

(159) Homage to the Dharma which the Buddha loves and delights in,

Prostrating and paying homage to the Buddha’s wisdom body, 

Homage to the great joy king of all buddhas,

Prostrating and paying homage to the Buddha’s great delight. 

(160) Homage to the Dharma of right mindfulness of all buddhas,

Prostrating and paying homage to the Buddha’s great laugh; 

Homage to the right speech spoken by the Buddha,

Prostrating and paying homage to the Buddha’s self-nature. 

(161) Homage to that which is not born from existence,

Homage to that which is born of right wisdom, 

Homage to the birth of the self-nature of emptiness,

Homage to the birth of all-knowledge. 

(162) Homage to the supreme Net of Illusion,

Homage to the great play of all buddhas, 

That which is praised by all sentient beings,

Therefore I pay homage to the gathering of right wisdom.[39]

The First Round of Praise

“Furthermore, O Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, O great Vajradhara, these Esoteric Names and Meanings, as spoken by me, are namely the summit of wisdom of all tathāgatas, the wisdom body of all tathāgatas, born of the fundamental right knowledge of Mañjuśrī, the supreme uncommon purity of the merits of all buddhas, the supreme praise, the dharma of great joy and bliss, the vast supernormal power, majesty, and supreme meaning, the esoteric purity of the karma of body, speech, and mind, which is pure and perfect in the merits of all pāramitās and all bhūmis, born of merit and wisdom without decrease or loss. All those dharmas are perfect and pure; this is referred to as the supreme, incomparable, supreme meaning. Because of this Dharma, those who have not obtained the fruit are all caused to obtain it. This is the supreme meaning of the supreme dharma-eye and dhāraṇī of all tathāgatas, fully known as reality and proclaimed according to principle.

The Second Round of Praise

“O Vajrapani! You now should know that these Esoteric Names and Meanings[40] are empowered by the mighty power of all buddhas. It is the meaning of the supreme Great Illusion, the great unconquerable one among all mantra dharmas. Perfect and pure in the supreme white dharmas, up to the secret reality of the body, speech, and mind of the knowledge of all-knowledge. It can witness the immediate samādhi of the perfect awakening of all tathāgatas. Skilfully entering the supreme Dharmadhātu of all tathāgatas. It is the one whom no māra-force can conquer, accomplishing the merit of the Tathāgata’s ten powers, surpassing the ten powers possessed by bodhisattvas. It is accomplishing the knowledge of all-knowledge, surpassing all knowledge. It is that to which all dharmas return. Universally gathering all buddha teachings; vast, great, and perfect, born of stainless pure merit and wisdom, taking all great bodhisattvas as a retinue, increasing, blazing, and flourishing. Though dwelling within the lands of all śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, humans, and devas, it accords with their dharmas yet constantly abides in the supreme Mahāyāna. It gives birth to the boundless victorious practices of bodhisattvas, ultimately thoroughly understanding all dharmas of the Noble Path. Having obtained liberation oneself, it is further able to produce and transform all path practices. Not cutting off the lineage of the buddha, possessing great wisdom and abiding in the bodhisattva clan. Gathering and receiving all most victorious karma of speech, it is destroying all non-buddhist teachings, acting as a brave and strong army, subduing the four māras, obtaining invincibility. It can also universally gather all sentient beings, revealing the Noble Path and giving birth to all dharmas, constantly abiding in samādhi, practising the four brahmā-vihāras, and in dhyāna, it is the mind abiding in one-pointedness. Having accomplished the yoga karma of body, speech, and mind, it is obtaining the cutting off and exhausting of all afflictions and secondary afflictions and is able to untie all bonds and fetters. It is that which great wisdom liberates, silencing all minds, stopping and resting all obstacles, cutting off and extinguishing all views, far removed from from all marks, able to close the gates of all unwholesome realms. In the path of real truth, it is fully liberated, destroying the wheel of saṃsāra. It is turning the great Dharma Wheel, raising the great Dharma banner, abiding in the vast great Dharma teaching of the Tathāgata, proclaiming all dharmas according to the capacity of beings, and swiftly accomplishing the gate of esoteric practice. It is observing the self-nature of all bodhisattvas, perfecting the gate of the Prajñā Pāramitā, understanding the empty nature of all bodhisattvas, realising all non-dual liberation, giving birth to all dharmas of the pāramitās, thoroughly understanding all pāramitā dharmas, and perfecting and purifying all bhūmis. These Esoteric Names and Meanings include the śrāvakas’ Dharma of the Four Noble Truths, and the four foundations of mindfulness up to the Dharma of the Noble Eightfold Path. Such differences of all dharmas are yet understood by one mind as non-dual. This is referred to as perfecting the merit of all buddhas.

The Third Round of Praise

“Furthermore, O Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, O great Vajradhara, These Esoteric Names and Meanings are the most victorious practice gate for the accomplishment of the karma of body, speech, and mind of all sentient beings, extinguishing all unwholesome dharmas of sentient beings, purifying all evil realms, cutting off all karmic obstacles, ensuring one never receives birth in the places of retribution of the eight difficulties, extinguishing the eight kinds of great terrifying matters, destroying all bad dreams and inauspicious things, preventing all thoughts of unwholesome realms from arising, destroying all extremely evil realms, far departing from all deeds of Māra, causing all irrational attention not to arise even for a moment, cutting off all grasping at self-views and the like, and preventing the arising of all sorrow, suffering, and affliction. Increasing all wholesome roots of merit and wisdom, abiding in the truth of the heart of all tathāgatas, the secret truth of all bodhisattvas, the secret truth of all śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, the truth of all mudrās and mantras, following right mindfulness and right knowledge of the karma of all truthful speech. Furthermore, this Dharma is able to increase wisdom in the present life, make one free from all illnesses, complete in physical strength, wealth, joy, and sovereignty, auspicious and pure, increasing in wholesome dharmas, and allow one to obtain great fame, be praised, and be loved by people. This esoteric Dharma possesses great benefit, extinguishing all great terrors of illness, causing all evil delusions to be transformed into truth, causing all unwholesome marks to become wholesome marks, causing all non-victories to become superior victories, and causing all inauspiciousness to become auspicious. Acting as a ruler for those without a lord, acting as a reliance for those without reliance, acting as a protector for those without rescue, acting as a refuge for those without direction, acting as a lamp for those dwelling in darkness, revealing the true right path for those without a destination, acting as a boat and raft to truly save those sinking in the ocean of birth and death, acting as a great physician king curing all illnesses, using true wisdom to understand the reality of nature and non-nature and worldly wisdom, illuminating and breaking all darkness and blindness of ignorance, acting as a great wish-fulfilling jewel king, one fulfils all the desires and vows that sentient beings seek. Furthermore, this esoteric Dharma is the knowledge body[41] of Mañjuśrī, the true knowledge of all-knowledge, the manifestation of the knowledge body obtained as perfect and pure. It is the true five eyes, the obtained six pāramitās, the true and perfect supreme Dharma of giving, free from false terror, obtaining the dharma of the ten bhūmis, abiding in that which is born of true merit and wisdom, and complete in the factors of samādhi. It is abiding in the one dharma, departing from the marks of dual dharmas, the bhūtakoṭi and true suchness, departing from all existing forms, the non-distinct dharma nature, and it is well-abiding in dhyāna and the bhūtakoṭi of true suchness. Its marks of form are pure, departing from all false marks, born of the right knowledge of the Tathāgata’s self-nature. All its marks are greatly empty, the nature of its form is unattached; where is there any view? Departing from views regarding all marks, one obtains all dharmas. This is the true Esoteric Names and Meanings; it is declared to be the supreme meaning born from the non-dual dharma nature, and those able to hold and speak it are also like this.

The Fourth Round of Praise

“Furthermore, O Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, O great Vajradhara, This fundamental wisdom of Mañjuśrī, the knowledge body and wisdom summit of all tathāgatas, the pure, singular, non-dual, supreme, most victorious chapter on the Esoteric Names and Meanings Samādhi, is the adornment of the great mani jewel crest,[42] the unconquerable Dharma within all teachings. If there are practitioners of mantras who take joy in cultivating this esoteric mantra practice gate, they must select an auspicious and victorious place, and according to their power and time, create a maṇḍala, place and arrange a painted image of Vairocana Tathāgata in it, and make offerings according to their capacity. With supreme single-mindedness sincerely visualise the installed honourable image, focusing the mind, departing from all distraction. Then, with the karma of right speech, three times every day uphold, chant, recite, remember, and contemplate it. When bearing and reciting the esoteric mantras, one’s mind and speech should correspond, the phrases round and correct without disorder, and one should generate a mind of faith and understanding with true attention. Having cultivated this esoteric mantra practice gate like this to proficiency, one immediately obtains all desires as wished. Fully knowing the supreme meaning of all dharmas, witnessing unhindered wisdom and non-dual discrimination, complete in faith, one is fully able to know the matters of the three times. Furthermore, all buddhas and bodhisattvas come to appear before one, revealing the arising of all dharma gates and being able to illuminate the self-nature of self and dharmas. Such a yoga practitioner having accomplished this, is immediately able to perform various transformations, manifesting as a great wrathful Vajradhara King, able to tame all those difficult to tame, saving the world and creating great benefit, and manifesting various physical bodies with great light. Furthermore they can accomplish all methods of vidyā mantras, mudrās, samādhis, and maṇḍalas, acting as the most victorious great mantra vidyā king. All extremely evil vinayakas, up to Māra and māra armies, will constantly guard him day and night, following him everywhere without showing their bodies, not letting any evil beings find an opportunity [to harm him]. Furthermore obtaining the empowerment of all buddhas and bodhisattvas, establishing all karma of body, speech, and mind to constantly abide in the True Dharma. Taken-in and received by buddhas and bodhisattvas, obtaining fearless eloquence in all dharmas, thoroughly understanding all dharmas of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas, one can observe the self-nature of non-self. All Brahmā Kings, Indra, Rudra, Nārāyaṇa, Kumāra, Maheśvara, Kārtikeya, Mahākāla, Nandikeśvara, Agni, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Hārītī and others, up to the world-protectors of the ten directions, all such heavenly multitudes, day and night also constantly protect and cause that yoga practitioner to be constantly at peace whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, and constantly abiding in samāhita, free from distraction. Whether staying alone in one place or entering among many people, or entering royal cities, settlements, villages, towns, lanes, empty houses, mountains, forests, rivers, and such places, whether stopping or rising, always and in all actions, those devas and others constantly secretly guard. Furthermore, day and night whether staying in one’s own house or dwelling in another place, there are devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, mahoragas, humans and non-humans etc., and all planets and ghost multitudes, the so-called holy constellation mothers, seven mothers, up to yakṣiṇīs, rākṣasīs, piścācis, such multitudes, all with their retinues constantly come to guard, causing that practitioner cultivating yoga to obtain the most victorious body, physical strength solid without illnesses, and with lifespan increasing, obtaining great auspiciousness.

The Fifth Round of Praise

“Furthermore, O Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, O great Vajradhara, If there is a practitioner cultivating yoga, who regarding this chapter on the samādhi of All Esoteric Names and Meanings, the great maṇi jewel crest, is able to three times a day focusedly uphold, recite, remember, and diligently cultivate it, and furthermore abides in mind visualizing the holy image of the root deity,[43] giving rise to the transformation body from the right knowledge of Mañjuśrī, appearing in boundless various forms and marks— having observed like this, before long the observed forms and marks will appear, and furthermore, one will immediately see all buddhas and bodhisattvas in space appearing in numberless various physical bodies. Furthermore, for the practitioner cultivating yoga, because of the merit of this most victorious Dharma, one will never again fall into any evil realms. In the future world, one will not be born into a low or base clan, not be born in border lands, not dwell in a low or inferior nature, not receive birth along with those whose faculties are incomplete, and furthermore not be born into families of evil views. One will not receive birth in a land without a buddha, nor receive birth where a buddha does not appear in the world to proclaim the right Dharma. One will never be born among the long-lived gods, never be born in an evil world of the five degeneracies and not be born during a kalpa of famine or swords and soldiers. In birth after birth, far departing from the terror of enemies, thieves, and robbers, in whatever place born, not suffering poverty, one is unshakable in fame and praise. In birth after birth, constantly born into a good clan, complete in human marks, upright and perfect, one will be loved and respected by people in the world, constantly experiencing happiness, departing from all worries and afflictions. In whatever place one is born, people all delight to see him, speaking with sincerity and truth, trusted and accepted by people. In birth after birth obtaining the knowledge of past lives, possessing great wealth and having a great retinue increasing without end, fully complete in the supreme merit of all sentient beings, also complete in the self-nature merit of the six pāramitās, perfect and complete in cultivating the four brahmā-vihāras, one obtains completeness in right mindfulness, right knowledge, skilful means, and the power of vows. Thoroughly understanding all pure Dharma teachings, sovereign in speech karma, obtaining great fearlessness, one is unhindered in words and eloquence whenever debating. Furthermore, able to comfort all sentient beings, one will not be different from an ācārya or upādhyāya guru. All parts of the Dharma never heard before, even up to all worldly literature and canons, and non-buddhist treatises etc., are all thoroughly understood. Obtaining great eloquence, precepts, and lifespan, pure and perfect, constantly taking joy in leaving the household life, one will possess all prohibitions and precepts. Never forgetting or losing all-knowledge, one’s great bodhicitta is solid and indestructible, surpassing the boundaries of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas and not taking joy in their Dharmas. Vajrapaṇi! All practitioners cultivating yoga obtain such boundless merit, all fully complete, swiftly accomplishing the fruit of great bodhi. This text, Esoteric Names and Meanings, furthermore, possesses boundless, limitless great merit, perfect and complete. Even if praised and extolled for boundless kalpas, it could not be exhausted.

The Mantras

“Furthermore, O Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva, O great Vajradhara, all buddha tathāgatas appear in the world through great compassion and skilful means having attained perfection in these Esoteric Names and Meanings, born of merit and wisdom, and accomplish anuttarā samyak-saṃbodhi. Universally gathering the merit jewels of all buddhas, there is not a single Dharma that is not perfect within it. Widely striking the great Dharma drum for all sentient beings throughout the lands of the ten directions, it universally causes them to abide in the unsurpassed right Dharma. The king of all Dharmas spoken by all buddhas, the so-called great vidyā, goes: 

“oṃ sarvadharma-bhāvasvabhāva-viśuddha-dharma-cakṣuḥ a ā aṃ aḥ!”

“All dharmas are pure in their self-nature, unarisen and unceasing, born of the pure root of the wisdom body of all tathāgatas, which is Mañjuśrī. This is expressed as: 

“a āḥ”

“The root heart of all tathāgatas is expressed as: 

“hara hara oṃ hūṃ hrīḥ!” 

“The wisdom summit of all tathāgatas, the sovereign supreme speech and vast speech karma of all tathāgatas, the stainless, void, pure Dharmadhātu knowledge treasury of all Dharmas, which is expressed as: 

“āḥ!”

Five Concluding Verses

(163) At that time, Vajrapāṇi Bodhisattva,

Having heard the Buddha speak this esoteric Dharma, 

Joyful, joining his palms and rising from his seat,

Prostrated to the Honoured Śākyamuni, 

(164) And all those multitudes of buddhas and sages,

The supreme Vajrapaṇi Guhyendras, 

And all Wrathful Great Wisdom Kings.

Having paid universal respect, he spoke these words: 

“(165) Supreme Joyful Sovereign Honoured One,

Sādhu! Sādhu! You can expound well, 

Through compassion benefiting me and sentient beings,

To accomplish the fruit of complete bodhi. 

(166) The Buddha is the great guide of the world,

Guiding all to take refuge in the gate of liberation, 

Proclaiming the most victorious pure path,

The Esoteric Yoga, the King of Great Teachings, 

(167) Of supreme vastness and extremely deep meaning,

Universally creating benefit for the world. 

This is the noble realm of all buddhas,

Which all Tathāgatas proclaim to exhaustion.”

Notes

[1] This refers to the source tantra, the Māyājāla.

[2] I.e., svayambhūjñāna.

[3] Called the hook, or aṅkuśa, in Sanskrit.

[4] Or mahāvarṇa in Sanskrit.

[5] Fullness refers to the maṇḍala, mahāvipulamaṇḍala.

[6] I.e., vidvān.

[7] These four all appear to be referring to the Tantra itself.

[8] Or “pervading” vibhuḥ.

[9] I.e., gaṇamukhya.

[10] The term used in the Sanskrit is Gaṇeśa.

[11] The Sanskrit starts with avaivartikas (irreversible bodhisattvas).

[12] The Sanskrit refers to them as the rhinoceros-like ones.

[13] The Sanskrit rather states here, “having accumulated the two accumulations.”

[14] I.e., bodhisattvas.

[15] gagana.

[16] svayambhū.

[17] amoghapāśa.

[18] vajrāṅkuśa.

[19] mahāpāśa.

[20] No equivalent to this verse in the Sanskrit.

[21] Sanskrit has “faces.”

[22] The Destroyer of Death.

[23] Acala.

[24] Dānapāla uses transliterations here, which is represented in my translation. Roma means hair.

[25] I.e., nails.

[26] I.e., vajra-essence.

[27] The Sanskrit has “six syllables.”

[28] This is an epithet for Mañjuśrī—he with the lovely voice (ghoṣa).

[29] gaganagarbha.

[30] The character can also mean uṣṇīṣa.

[31] I.e., braided.

[32] These verses are a reframing of brāhmaṇa ideals.

[33] Here, the Sanskrit says he’s the Ādibuddha.

[34] I.e., as Viṣṇu.

[35] I.e., Avalokiteśvara.

[36] The Sanskrit clarifies that this refers to the activity of the sambhogakāya.

[37] The nirmāṇakāya.

[38] The Sanskrit puts this as being the activity of the “destroyer,” pramatha, another term for the Mahdi, or the future messiah of Islam.

[39] I.e., the knowledge-body, the jñānakāya.

[40] I.e., this text.

[41] jñānakāya.

[42] cūḍāmaṇi.

[43] Mañjuśrī.