Mahāvaipulya Buddhāvataṃsaka Sūtra, "Entry into the Dharma-Dhātu" Chapter, the Gate of Visualisation of the Forty-Two Letters

Taishō no. 1019

Imperially Sanctioned Translation

Presented (c. 746-774) by the Lord Specially Advanced of the Opening of Government Offices with Prestige Equal to that of the Three Offices, Examiner, Chief Minister for Making Loud Announcements, the Respectful Duke of State, Fief of 3000 Households, Bestowed the Purple Robe; Posthumously: Minister of Works; Posthumously: Great Mirror; Correct Title: He of Vast Wisdom, the Trepiṭaka of Daxingshan Temple, the Śramaṇa Amoghavajra (705–774)

Translated into English by Shaku Shingan (26th October, 2023)

At that time, the youth Sudhana descended from the heavenly palace to the city of Kapilavastu and arrived before the youth Śilpābhijña. After paying homage with the top of his head, he stood to one side and addressed him, saying:

O Ārya! I have aroused the aspiration to attain anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi. Still, I do not know how a bodhisattva should train in bodhisattva conduct or how to cultivate the bodhisattva path. I have heard that the Ārya is well able to provide instruction and guidance [in these matters], and I wish for him to teach me.

Then, that youth addressed Sudhana, saying:

O son of good family! I have attained a bodhisattva liberation called Skilful Understanding of the Various Arts. I always recite and maintain the root letters to enter into this liberation.

(𑖀) When reciting the letter A, through the authoritative power of the bodhisattva, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the range of non-discrimination, realising that all dharmas are originally unarisen [Ajātapūrva].

(𑖨) When reciting the letter RA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of unbounded discrimination, realising that all dharmas are free from defilement [viRAja].

(𑖢) When reciting the letter PA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the limit [koṭi] of the dharma-dhātu, realising that the ultimate truth [PAramārthasatya] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖓) When reciting the letter CA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the universal wheel that cuts off discrimination, realising that all dharmas are devoid of conduct [CArya].

(𑖡) When reciting the letter NA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the limit without the ālaya, realising that the nature and marks [Nimitta] of all dharmas are inapprehensible.

(𑖩) When reciting the letter LA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of stainlessness, realising that all dharmas are world-transcending [Lokottara] because the causes and conditions of the link of desire never appear.

(𑖟) When reciting the letter DA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of non-retrogressing applied practice, realising that all dharmas are tamed [DAma], tranquil, equal to thusness, and devoid of discrimination.

(𑖤) When reciting the letter BA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the vajramaṇḍala, realising that all dharmas are free from bonds and liberation [BAndhamokṣa].

(𑖚) When reciting the letter ḌA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the universal wheel, realising that all dharmas are free from the heat [ḌAha] of false defilements as they have attained pure serenity.

(𑖬) When reciting the letter ṢA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the ocean treasury, realising that all dharmas are without obstruction [aṢAṅga/adoṢA].

(𑖪) When reciting the letter VA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of universally arising in abiding, realising that all dharmas are cut off from the practice of language [VĀda].

(𑖝) When reciting the letter TA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the illumination of defilement, realising that all the thusness [TAthatā] of all dharmas is unmoving.

(𑖧) When reciting the letter YA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the heap of discrimination, realising that all dharmas are truly [YAthābhūta] unarisen.

(𑖬𑖿𑖘) When reciting the letter ṢṬA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of universal light that abates the burning afflictions, realising that the characteristics of the suppression and support [adhiṢṬhāna] of all dharmas are inapprehensible.

(𑖎) When reciting the letter KA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the different types of lineages, realising that a creator [KĀraka] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖭) When reciting the letter SA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the deluge of the great rain appearing before one, realising that the equality of time [SAmaya] in all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖦) When reciting the letter MA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of great rapids and many mountain peaks, realising that the nature of a self and possession [MAmakāra] in all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖐) When reciting the letter GA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the wheel of universal nurturing, realising that the nature of the action and grasping [Grāhaṇa] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖞) When reciting the letter THA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the non-discrimination of thusness, realising that the places [sTHāna] of all dharmas are inapprehensible.

(𑖕) When reciting the letter JA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the pure spring of the ocean of worldly transmigration, realising that the ability to produce [nirJĀta] for all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖭𑖿𑖪) When reciting the letter SVA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the adornment of the mindfulness of all buddhas, realising that the nature of the self-existence [SVAbhāva] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖠) When reciting the letter DHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of investigating the bodhimaṇḍa of the dharma-realm, realising that the nature of the ability of all dharmas to maintain the realms [DHĀtu] is inapprehensible.

(𑖫) When reciting the letter ŚA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of according with the teachings of all buddhas, realising that the nature of the tranquillity [ŚĀnti] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖏) When reciting the letter KHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the present causal ground of the treasury of knowledge, realising that the sky-like [KHA] nature of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖎𑖿𑖬) When reciting the letter KṢA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the ocean treasury of the resolute calming of all karma, realising that all the nature of the exhaustion [KṢAya] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖭𑖿𑖝) When reciting the letter STA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the crushing of afflictions and the purifying light, realising that the nature of all dharmas to maintain dwelling or non-dwelling [STHĀnāsthāna] or to bring about their non-movement, is inapprehensible.

(𑖗) When reciting the letter ÑA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of understanding the arising of the world, realising that the nature of what can be known [jÑeya] about all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖨𑖿𑖞) When reciting the letter RTHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the bodhimaṇḍa of the knowledge that opposes the cycle of birth and death, realising that the nature of attachment and meaning [aRTHA] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖥) When reciting the letter BHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the adornments of all bodhimaṇḍa palaces, realising that all the nature of all dharmas to break down [BHedya] is inapprehensible.

(𑖔) When reciting the letter CHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the treasury of cultivating applied practice covering the different bodhimaṇḍas, realising that the nature of the obscuration of longing [CHAnda] for all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖭𑖿𑖦) When reciting the letter SMA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of directly seeing all buddhas in the ten directions, realising that the nature of what can be recalled [SMArita] regarding all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖮𑖿𑖪) When reciting the letter HVA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of contemplating having the competence to universally bear all sentient beings across the ocean treasury [through summoning to the Dharma], realising that the nature of all dharmas to be able to be summoned [āHVĀna] is inapprehensible.

(𑖝𑖿𑖭) When reciting the letter TSA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of entering and cultivating from the very beginning the ocean of all merits, realising that the nature of the resolution [uTSĀha] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖑) When reciting the letter GHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the firm ocean treasury of the cloud of all dharmas, realising that the equality of the denseness [GHAna] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖙) When reciting the letter ṬHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of aspiring to go and visit all the buddhas before one's eyes in the ten directions, realising that the nature of the establishment [viṬHApana] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖜) When reciting the letter ṆA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the wheel of letters' accumulation of a koṭi of letters, realising that the freedom from all clamorous disputes [raṆA] regarding all dharmas without going and without coming, whether walking, standing, sitting, or reclining is inapprehensible.

(𑖣) When reciting the letter PHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of ripening all sentient beings when one goes and reaches the bodhimaṇḍa, realising that the extensive fruition [PHAla] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖭𑖿𑖎) When reciting the letter SKA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the universal illumination of the wheel of light released by the earth treasury without attachment or obstruction, realising that the nature of the heap of aggregates (SKAndha) of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖧𑖿𑖭) When reciting the letter YSA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the explanation of the range of all the buddha-dharmas, realising that the nature and characteristics of the ageing [jYeṢtha] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

(𑖫𑖿𑖓) When reciting the letter ŚCA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the universal illumination of all the sky with the reverberant lion's roar of the cloud of Dharma, realising that traces of the clusters [-ŚCA] of all dharmas are inapprehensible.

(𑖘) When reciting the letter ṬA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the ultimate limit of benefiting beings with [the teaching of] no-self, realising that all the nature of all dharmas is to be compelled [veṣṬA] by characteristics.

(𑖛) When reciting the letter ḌHA, one enters the gate of the Prajñāpāramitā of the treasury of non-discrimination based on the Dharma Wheel, realising that all the ultimate location [aDHiṣṭhāna] of all dharmas is inapprehensible.

O son of good family! When I recite these root letters to enter into this liberation, then with these forty-two Prajñāpāramitās at the head, I enter into immeasurable and countless Prajñāpāramitā gates.

Further, o son of good family, these letter gates can awaken to and enter the limit of the emptiness of dharmas. Apart from these letters, the representation of the emptiness of dharmas is inapprehensible. Why is it so? The meaning of these letters cannot be expressed, cannot be revealed, cannot be appropriated, cannot be preserved in writing, cannot be contemplated and are devoid of all characteristics.

O son of good family! Just as all things depend upon empty space as their abode, so too are these letters, and the meaning of the emptiness of all dharmas can be clearly understood through their gates. If a bodhisattva mahāsattva attains skilful knowledge by relying on these letters, he will face no obstructions with all the sounds and words he expresses and articulates, he will be able to exhaustively uphold the nature of the emptiness of the equality of all dharmas, and attain skill in expressing sounds and words. If a bodhisattva mahāsattva can listen to this teaching on the entry into the gates of these letters, seals it with the letter A (𑖀), and having heard it, upholds it, reads and recites it, becomes well-versed in it, and explains it to others, without craving fame or profit, then by those causes and conditions they will attain twenty kinds of excellent merits. What are the twenty? They are, attaining strong recollection; attaining superior conscience and a sense of shame; attaining firm power; understanding the essential purport of the Dharma; attaining superior knowledge; attaining superior wisdom; attaining unobstructed eloquence; attaining dhāraṇī gates; attaining freedom from doubt; attaining speech that does not give rise to anger or desire when disagreeing or agreeing; attaining a state which has neither superior nor inferior; attaining skill in the languages of sentient beings; attaining skill in regard to the aggregates, skill in regard to the sense ranges, skill in regard to the sense realms; attaining skill in regard to dependent origination, skill in regard to causes, skill in regard to conditions, skill in regard to dharmas; attaining skill in regard to discerning superior and inferior faculties, skill in regard to knowledge of the minds of others; attaining skill in observing astronomy; attaining skill in the knowledge of the divine ear, skill in the knowledge of the recollection of prior births, skill in the knowledge of the supernormal powers, skill in the knowledge of birth and death; attaining skill in the knowledge of the waning of the outflows; attaining skill in the knowledge of right and wrong; and attaining skill in the knowledge of the deportments of going, coming, and so forth. These are the twenty kinds of excellent merits they will attain.

O son of good family! I only know this knowledge of the root letters that enter into this liberation. There are bodhisattva mahāsattvas who are skilled in the dharmas of all worlds and reach the other shore by their penetrating wisdom. How can I know or speak of their merits and practices?

At that time, the youth Sudhana worshipped the feet of Śilpābhijña with his head, circumambulated him countless times, gazed at him in admiration, and departed.

Translator's note:The title of this text refers to the contemplation of the letters. However, the text only refers to reciting these letters. The oral dimension is clearly what is highly valued in this text. There are many akṣaramālā (alphabet/syllabary) practice traditions in Mahāyāna Buddhism, and they form a cornerstone of practice in Esoteric Buddhism. Two of the major akṣaramālā scriptural traditions are those of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras and the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. In this text, composed by Amoghavajra, the traditions of both are unified into one whole. While the frame text is the same as that found in the eponymous chapter of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, the details have been redacted so as to merge and reconcile these two apparently divergent traditions. Thus, the first line describing each letter is directly from the Avataṃsaka Sūtra, whereas the second line is a direct quote from the akṣaramālā portions of Xuanzang's translation of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras (T220)—thus we know it must have been composed anew in China by Amoghavajra or his associates. The final address, moreover, except for the final two paragraphs, is also lifted from Xuanzang's Prajñāpāramitā work. It would seem, then, that Amoghavajra here attempts to reconcile these two traditions so as to more fully penetrate their significance. On the technical side, the original text does not contain the Sanskrit term, which is implied by each letter. I have supplied that myself, and often, this is done quite imperfectly or not quite to my satisfaction. The letters within these words that correspond to the letter being discussed are capitalised. The texts on which this tradition is based were probably working with Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit and did not have strict regard for the classical Sanskrit spelling or pronunciation conventions regarding retroflexes and aspirates. For the matches that are less than perfect, I may someday be able to improve my identification of these terms. Finally, readers may or may not be able to see the Unicode Siddhaṃ letters. Siddhaṃ is encoded in Unicode range 11580 to 115D7 and is fully compatible with Unicode Standard, Version 15.1 at the time of writing (26.10.2023). Please ensure you have updated your Unicode and have the necessary fonts installed if you have trouble seeing these letters or can only see a box.As a word of dedication, this translation was requested and is offered to Abhayajñāna.