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Jburnai oflhdian andBuddhist Studies Vbl. 61, No. 3, March 2013 (93)
The Influence of the Avaivartikacakra Mahayana SUtra in Indian
Buddhism Based on Its Citation in Indian Buddhist Commentaries
James B. AppLE
1. Introduction
A significant, yet previousty unstudied, selflproclaimed Mahay5na scripture, is the Avai- ') vartikocakrasijtra Discourse (`The on Irreversibility'). The Avaivartikacakrasijtnaisan
early Mahiyelna scripture that focuses on the concept ofthe irreversibility (avaivartiha) of bodhisattvas ("Buddhas-in-training") from the attainment of fu11 Buddhahood. The con-
cept of the irreversible (avaivartiko) bodhisattva is considered to be one of the most vita1
subjects in the historical development of Mahayana Buddhism due to the concept's preva- lence, as well as its transvaluing meaning, in early (pre-3rd century) MahAyEna literature.2)
The Avaivartikacakrasabna provides the earliest and most comprehensive discussion ofthis
concept among MahEyana scriptures other than the Prcu'nryiipdramitj literature. The sfitra is
also notable for its advocation of ekoyana, its usage ofnarrative displacement, and its rhet-
`word-play' 3) oric of through semantic elucidation or nirukti. One may infer that this text
was an influential Mahayana sfitra in Buddhist culture as indicated by its preservation and
transmission in South, Central, and East Asia over rnany centuries.4)
2. Citations in Indian Buddhist Commentaries
The importance of the Avaivartikacakrasijtna is atso demonstrated through its active ci-
tation in indigenous commentaries on the bodhisattva path by prominent Indian Mah5yAna
Buddhist scholars from the second to twelfth centuries. Previous studies have discussed
how Indian masters' citations of a sfitra demonstrate the importance of a panicular stitra 5) within the historical context of Indian Buddhism. As we will see, the Avaivartikacakra-
stitra was an important text to support the views ofa number of Indian Buddhist scholars.
2.1. SiZtrasam"ccaya
The Stitrasamuccaya is an anthology ofstitra citations traditionally attributed to Nagar-
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(94) TheInfluenceoftheAvaivartihacakraimhay5maSiminindianBuddhismBasedonItsCitmioiinIndianBudchixCommenimes(J.B.Apm.E)
juna, although recent discussion in modern scholarship has indicated that the author may
be different from the Nagatiuna who composed the Maddyamakakarika. Nevertheless, the
anthology had great influence on later Indian Buddhist scholarship. The author of the Stitrasamuccaya cites the fbllowing portion frorn Avaivartikacakrasijtra to substantiate his
view on ekayana:
"Tb MafljuSri asked, what extent is this compatible with the dharma teachings of the Buddhas, the
"The Blessed Ones?" [The Bhagavan ['Abhavrtapadmaphullitagatra] replied], dharma teaching ofthe Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, is compatible with the discourse on irreversible dharma (avai-
"Bhagavan, vartikadhat:macakna) ." [The bodhisattva] asked, How is it that a Bhagavan sets forth the three vehicles arid presently teaches dharma? [The Bhagavan ['AbhEv;tapadrnaphullitagatra] `'Son replied] ofGood Family, sentient beings aspire for the inferior and when they do not enter the single vehicle, [the Buddhas] guide them with skill in means. Son of Good Family, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, have great skill in means. The Blessed One appears to those [sentient beings] at
the time ofthe five degenerations and uses skill in means for those who do not aspire for the single
vehicle.6)
The citation is from the first chapter of the Avaivartikacakrasatra although, in this sec-
tion of the sfitra itselC the discussion does not involve MafljuSri but rather the bodhisattva
siryan) PleasantSound (*Anandokti,Tib.sgra .
2.2. Arya Vimuktisena (6th century) and Haribhadra (8th century)
The Avaivartihacakrastitra was popular among commentators of the Abhisamaydlamkiira
as a number of cornmentators to this Sdstra make reference to the sijtra. We know the San-
skrit title ofthe text as Avaivartikaeakrastitra since the title of the sfitra is preserved ip the Abhisamayalamkdra commentaries of both Arya-Vimuktisena and Haribhadra,7) despite
notable discrepancies among reconstmcted titles preserved in the various editions of the Tibetan Karijur.8) Arya-Vimuktisena and Haribhadra reference the Avaivartikacakrastitra
in order to illustrate how the twenty types of samgha mentioned in verses 1.23-24 of the
Abhisamayalamkiira are bodhisattvas.9} Other Indian Abhisamayalamkeira commentators
will reference the Avaivartikacakrasijtra as well, with Dharmamitra in his Prasphulapadb
(D 3796) providing several citations from the stitra itselfi
Here, the teaching refers te the bodhisattva as a Strearn-enterer and so forth since both the basis ofa term and the emanator are emanantions and, since sentient beings are known to be afraid of the great waves of the sublime vehicle and aspire for the inferior, bodhisattvas become Srbvakas and are indicated to achieve pratyekabuddha awakening. It is construed through the basis ef a term [, the
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lhe hiuence of the Avaivartikzicakea Mdnytrna Satra in Indian Budchisrn Based on Its Citmian in Indim Budnist Commendnes (J, B, Appm)(95)
Avaivartikacakrasfitra states] ;
"The unfabricated, unstained, passionless realm is indicated, it is indicated having perceived al[
the buddha-qualities.
That which the Buddhas teach does not conceptualize things afar nor conceptualize things near, therefore, their teachings are uncontaminated. Proclaiming the contaminated to not exist, elucidated to immeasurable sentient beings, Those
sentient beings do not see. In this way, a bodhisattva is called a Sravaka. Ananda, with this intention, I have thoroughly taught [the meaning ofi Srdvaka. Unrestricted is a bodhisattva, and therefbre [a bodhisattva] should be known as a jravaka.'
LHaving Likewise: understood these conditions, a bodhisattva is unrestricted and I have indicated
`pratyekabuddha."' a bodhisattva with the term Further, these bodhisattvas are taught with the basis ofthe word having three distinctions fbr the 1O) Stream-enterer and so fbrth. This is cited from the Iiya-avatvamkocakrasiitiu.
2.3. Bhaviyeka (6th century) and Candrakirti (7th century)
An unacknowledged Sanskrit verse from the Avaivartikaeakrastitra is preserved in Can-
drakirti's Prasannapada, and the verse is unattributed in the Tibetan translations of
Bhfiviveka's Projn'"opradipa and Avalokitavrata's Projnnyopradipagikd. The Sanskrit as pre-
served in Poussin's edition of the Prasannapada, which is based on 18th century manu-
scripts from Nepal, is as fo11ows:
anirvanam hi nirvanam lokanathena desiitam f ii) akdsena krto granthir akiigenaiva mocitah !1 "The leader ofthe world has taught that there is no nirvdna in nirvdna. A knot tied in space is released through space itselfl"
The verse is cited in the commentaries in the context of the twenty-fifth chapter of Nfi-
gEniuna's MadhyamakaSa-stra that analyzes nirva4a. The earliest commentary to cite the i2) verse is Bhaviveka in his Prcu'n-lipradipa. Bhaviveka does not state the textual source fbr
the verse whereas the tikii subcommentary to Bhaviveka by Avalokitavrata notes the source
"the i3) ofthe verse as extensive MahayEna satras." Likewise, Candrakirti cites the verse as
spoken by the Bhagavan (Poussin 1970: 540: uktam ca bhagavata), but in the context of
the Avaivartikacakrastitra the verse is spoken by Ananda at the beginning ofthe eleventh i4) chapter. The version ofthe verse as it occurs in the 12th century the Tibetan Prasanna-
padd translation of Kanakavarma and Pa-tshab nyi-ma grags is the yersion most cited in
Tibetan commentaries. Just as the Tibetan commentaries do not recognize the source ofthe
verse, I have located at least five Euro-American anicles and books that do not source this
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(96) the hiuence ofthe Avaiva,n'hacakTa Mdnyina Stm in Indm Bndchism Based on Its Chation in lidian Buddhist Commenimes (J, B, AppLE)
IS) verse either, even as the verse is a favorite among those who study Buddhist philosophy.
2.4. Avalokitavrata (late 7th century)
l have argued in recent publications that the Avaivartikacakrasfitra is one arnong several
early Mah5yEna sfitras that utilize nirukti, or semantic elucidation, as a fbrrn of rhetoric to i6) transvalue mainstream Buddhist categories into bod7iisattva embodied values. The claim
that such Mahaydna sijtras like the Avaivartikacakrasfitra are employing nirukti is also
fbund among traditional commentators. although the underlying purport fbr traditional au-
thors may be different from my modern critical standpoint. Avalokitavrata (1ate 7th centu-
ry?) cites the Avaivartikacakrastitra three times in his Prcu'n-iipradipatika (D 3859) to
provide nirukti for the terms bhagavan, tathZigata, and badttha. Avalokitavrata's citation
fbr tathligata is as fbllows:
Or in another way, the Blessed One has stated a semantic elucldation from the Arya-avaivartiha-
"In cakrastitra: the way that childish beings have imputed, in that way awakening is not fbund, .17) since all things cannot be fbund, therefore, he is called 7hthagata.
Avalokitavrata is not the only traditional commentator to cite the Avaivartikacaki"czsfitra
fbr the Buddha's use of semantic elucidation.
2.5. KamalaSila (740-795 CE)
KamalaSila also cites from the Avaivartikacakrastitra to illustrate semantic elucidation
in the comments within his A-, ya-Avikaipapravesiadhancx4itika (D 4000) :
Or in another way, he is comp]etety free from fear since he has attained the four fearlessnesses, bj7
`bhagavan' means ofsemantic elucidOtion one calls a as such as stated from the Aiya-avaivartika-
"He cahastitra: thorougly indicates (pradangitah) to living beings (dehinim) that things are simi- 1ar to space. He is fearless (nirbhayata) with respect to that. Therefore, he is called `Bhagavan."'ig)
In addition to semantic elucidation, KarnalaSila quotes the Avaivartikaeakrastitra in his
Madhyamakiiloka (D 3887) to support his view ofehayana:
. . . one should understand that teaching the three vehicles is a teaching that is itselfskill-in-means.
If it is not like this, there will be only contradiction with all that was formerly explained. The Avai-
"the vartikacakrasfitra states that teaching of dharma by all the Buddhas in every world-realm is
similar to the irreversiblewheel (avaivartihacakra). Inthisregard, the sentient beingsof the Sah5 world-realm who appear at the time of the five corTuptions aspire to the inferior and, since [they
not enter the teaching ofthe single vehicle sentient are initially]do into (ekzu,ana), beings directed i9) method skill-in-means] to Buddhahood throughthis [of ."
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the lmoence of the Avaivartikocakra MahEyana Sbma in Indim Buddhism Based on Its Ciimon in Indian Budthist Commenimes (J. B, A??LE)(97)
2.6. 0ther References to Avaivartthacakrastitra
"avaivartikacakrastitra" 'phags Several scholars make reference to an ( paphyir mi ldog
'i 'khor 'i lo mdo) although they are not actually citing the Avaivartikacakrastitra Ma- pa ,
h5yana scripture, but rather, are referencing either a section of the Przu'nYiiparamita or the
Dhdra4isivararby'oparivarta. In the Sbmskrtdsamskrtavinis'caya20) of DaSabalaSrimitra refi
'phags 'i 'i erence is made to an avaivartikacakrasijtra ( pa phyir mi ldog pa {khor to mdo)
when dis¢ ussing the realization of the bodily witness (hayasjksin).2i) However, DaSa-
balaSrimitra is referencing a section of the Paficavim. Satiprcu'n'"Eipdramitd. Likewise, Ab-
hayEkaragupta in his Munimatdlamkdra22) claims that Candrakirti, in the last chapter of
"avaivartikacakrastitra" the MadJlyamakavatara (verses 12.8-9), is a fo11ower of the
since Candrakirti explains that the unproduced dharma-body is reqlized by the sambhoga-
"avaivartikacakrastitra" kdya. However, this reference to the is indicating the Dhara4iSva-
rariij'aparivarta, not the Avaivartikacakrasatra Mahayana sUtra. The Dharaptsivarari!i'a-
"irreversible parivarta teaches three wheels ofdharma, the third ofwhich is known as the 23) cites extensively wheel of dharma" (avaivartikacakra). Candrakirti thissfitra inthe lat-
er portion ofhis Madhyamahavata-rabhdsya.
3. Conclusion
I have briefly demonstrated the influence of the Avaivartikacakrastitra in Indian Bud-
dhism through citations ofthe stitra in lndian Buddhist Sdstras, The authors of such techni-
cal digests generally cite the Avaivartikacakrasijtra Mah5yfina scripture as a scriptural au-
thority (4gama) for one of fbur purposes: to support the clairns of one universal vehicle
use of semantic elucidations illus- (ekayana),to demonstratethe Buddha's (nirukti), to
trate that Stream-enterers, Once-returners, Non-returners, and so fbrth are actually bo-
dhisattvas, and to illustrate the non-conceptuality ofnirvarpa.
1 ) James B. Apple, Stairway to ?Virva4a: A Study ofthe 7Lventy Samghas Based on the PPloriks of
'`Avaivart- ofNew kong 1(7iaPa (Albany:StateUniversity Ybrk Press,2008) . Ratna Handunkande,
Enayclopaectia acakra-Nfima-Mahay5na-Satra," oj'Buddhism2.3(1973), 400-402. "An 2 ) James Apple, Assembly of Irreversible Bodhisattvas. Twenty Nkurieties ofthe Sarpgha: A TY-
pology ofNobie Beings (Arya) in Indo-Tibetan Scholasticism (Part 2)," .lournal ofindian Philoso-
"On phy 32 (2004) : 21 1-279. James B. Apple, Avaivanika and Avaivartikacakra in Mah5yana Buddhist Literature with Special Reference to the Lotus Satra," BuUetin ofthe Institute ofOriental Philosopiry,
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(98)lhe ]nduence of theAvatvurtimcaknr Mdeydna Sitra in indian Buddnisui Based on [ts Cildiun in [ndian Budchix Commenimes (J, B, AppE)
no. 27 (2011): 119-147.
"`Wordplay': 3 ) James B. Apple, Emergent Ideology through Semantic Elucidation. A Rhetorical 1fechnique in Mahayana Buddhist ForTnations," Bulletin for the insiitute qf Oriental Phiiosophy 2S (2009):161-173.
4 ) The Avaivartikacakra MahEyfina stitra is no longer extant in any Indic language but is preserved
in Chinese, Tibetan, Manchu, and Mongolian translations. Three translations of this satra are pre-
served in Chinese translation. The first is the AwelyuezhizheJ'iug Mggptstmess (T. 266) translated by Dharmaraksa in fourJ'uan on the 14th day, 1Oth month, 5th year ofTaikang itec, Western Jin (tu g) dynasty (November gth, AD 284) in Dunhuang Xme. The second translation is the Butuizhua,tfa- lunJ'ing JF gtwtatapt (T. 267) translated during the Northern Liang (ilt?Lm") dynasty (AD 412-439). The third translation is the Guangbayawfing butuizhuanlunj'ing marecaMJi{ mspttsss (T. 268) trans- lated by Zhiyan ewdi during the 4th year of Yuarijia Jiiff, Liusong su ;ii dynasty (AD 427) in Zhiyuan Monastery (tRpaLii}) in Yhngdu eegts. The 9th century Tibetan translation is preserved in all Tibetan Karijurs including Derge (no. 240) and Peking (no. 906). 5 ) Jens Braarvig, AksayamatinirdeSastitra, two Vblumes (Oslo: So]um, I993). Kaie Mochizuki,
"How Did the Indian Masters Read the Lotus Siitra?" Jburnal ofindian andBuddhist Studies, vol. 59, no. 3 (2011): (95-103> 1169-1177.
's 6 ) Avaivartikacakrasfitra, Derge, D, mdo sde iha 243a3-6. See Pasadika, ed., ?Vaghu'una Sfitra-
samuccaya: A Critical Edition qfthe mDo kun las btuspa (Copenhagen: Akademisk Forlag I Kom-
'i mission, 1989) on the tenth theme G) thegpa gcig ia mos pa sems can cle dog ni shin tu t:nyedpar
'stel, tlka 130.1 5-131.5. 7 ) See Corrado Pensa, ed., LL4bhisamayalamkbravrtti di A-rya-vamuktisena: Primo Abhisamaya; "Avaivartikocakra festo e note crit (Roma: Is.M.E.O., 1967), 46: sfitre," and Unrai Wogihara, ed.,
Abhisamaynlamkfir'alokZi projnnyEipfiramitayyakhya (Coinmentary on Assasahasrika:pray'n-liparamitfi)
rlbyo "avaivartihacakra Bunko, (llbkyo: 1932) , 36.8: sfitra." 8 ) For example, the Berlin manuscript (B) provides the title arytivivartacakra-nama-mahllyana- sfitra and firyavevartacakra-nbma-mahdyana-stitra. Stogs palace (S) gives the title as ar:ya-avaivar- tikaeakra-ndma-mahdyana-sfitra. The Bathang Newark manuscript (Ne) gives aryavevartyacakra- nama-mahEtydnasittra. Ihbo fragment (Rn027) gives the title as at:yavenivartyacakra-nama-mahaydna- sutra.9
) See Apple 2004, 2008.
10) Dharmamitra discusses this at D. No. 3796, 45b1-6. The Prasphutapada is a tikn commentary on Haribhadra'sAbhisamayalapakaraSdstravivrti.
II) Louis de La Vallee Poussin, ed., [Macthyamakavgrttih, ]: Miilamadhyamakarikds (Miitthyamika-
satras) cie IViighijuna avec la Prasannapada commentaire de CZindrantrti (Osnabnick: Biblio Verlag,
1970), 540.
12) ProjnNopradipamijiamadlryamahavrtti, D. No. 3853, 248b.
13) Prtijn-lipradipatika, D. No. 3859: 304a.
14) James B. Apple, theAvaivartikacakrasfitra; A C}'itical Edition ofthe nbetan fext based on Eigh-
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The Indumce of theAvuivurtikocakra Mahiydna Stitra in lndian Budchinn Based on Its CitatiDn in Indian Bvddhist Commentasies (j, B. AppLEI)(99)
teen Editions ofthe Kbnjur (forthcoming). , 15) See C. W. Huntington, 7;he Emptiness ofEmptiness an introduction to Early lndian MZiddyamika (Honolu}u: University ofHawaii Press, 1989), 201n28; Th. Stcherbatsky, 71he thnception ofBudtthist
reprint ofSecond and Edition Mrvana [withSanskrit7lextqfMadhyamaha-Karika] , Revised Enlanged (New Delhi [u.a.]: Motilal Banarsidass, 1978), 221; Christian Lindtner, MisceUanea bucidhica (Ko- benhavn: Akademisk Forlag, 1985) ; Guy Bugault, Stances du milieu par excellence de NZigailiuna = Madeyamaha-keirikds (Paris: Gallimard, 2002), 335.
16) SeeApple 2009.
17) ProjnNopradipalika, D. No. 3859: 21a6-7, 1Oa5, 44b7-45al.
18) A-t:ya-AvikalpapraveSacViarapttiha, D. No. 4000: 126a-b.
19) Madhyamakaloka-nama, D. No. 3887: 241a4-7.
"The 20) On this text see the work of Peter Skilling: Sarpskrt5sarpsk;ta-viniScaya of DaSabalaSrimi-
"The tra," Buddhist Studies Review, vol. 4, no. 1 (1987) : 3-23; Sixty-Four Destructions according to
"Vimutti- the Sarpskrtasarpskytavinigcaya," Jburnal ofthe Pali 7Zirt Sbciety, vol. 25 ( 1999) : 1 13-120;
magga and Abhayagiri: The Form-Aggregate according to the Sarpsknasarpsk;tayiniScaya," .lournal ofthe Pali 71zxt Sbciety, vol. 20 (1994) : 171-210. 21) Sltmskrtdsan,slp-tavinis'eaya, D. No. 3897, 285b6-7.
22) Munimatalampkiira, D. No. 3903, 208a-b.
23) The Dhara4iSvararby'aparivarta has two versions extant in Chinese, 71toluonizizaiwangpusapin waeerll fi lkiIgme pn" (T. 397,juan 1-4) and the Mahakaru4dsijtra, Daaijing Vcgss (T. 398). The Tibetan version of the sfitra is preserved in chapter 1 and 2 of the 71xthagatamahiharu4anirdeja (D
mdo sde Pa 142a-242b). Tibetan commentators discuss this sfitna's teaching of three wheels in con-
nection with the Ratnagotravibhnga}tybkltyd. See Klaus-Dieter Mathes, A Direct Path to the Buddha PVithin: Gdi Lotsawa ls Mahamudri interlpretation ofthe Ratnagotravibhaga (Boston: Wisdom Publiea-
tions, 2008).
(This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid of Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council in Canada)
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