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Appendix One a Translation of the Madhyamaka Vatara APPENDIX ONE A TRANSLATION OF THE MADHYAMAKA VATARA The following is a translation of the Madhyamakavatara karika of Chandrakirti (ca. A.D. 600-650). This is a versified text of 330 karikas to which Chandrakirti wrote his own commentary, the Madhyamakavatara-bhasya or Madhyamakavatara­ vrtti. The original Sanskrit version of the text (karikas and bhasya) does not survive. It does however, exist in Tibetan and Chinese translations. In the Tibetan Tripitaka it is catalogued with the title dBu rna la 'jug pa zhes bya ba. According to the Colophon (MABh: 409-410) the translation of the Madhyamakavatara and Bhasya was completed during the time of King Aryadeva ('Phags pa lha), whose dates are unknown, at the Ratnagupta Vihara in Anupama, Kashmir. The translation was made by the Indian abbott Tilaka­ kalasa (Thig Ie bum pal and the Tibetan translator Nyi rna grags from a Kashmiri manuscript and later improved on at Ra mo che monastery in Ra sa (Lhasa) by the Indian abbott Kanakavarma and the earlier Tibetan translator using western and eastern manuscripts. The translation is from the text edited by Louis de la Vallee Poussin, Madhyamakavatara par Candrakirti Traduction Tibetaine, Osnabruck: Biblio Verlag, 1970 (first published in Bibliotheca Buddhica, IX, 1912). The sDe dge edition is consulted in the sDe dge Tibetan Tripitaka, bsTan 'gyur - preserved at the Faculty of Letters, University of Tokyo, edited by J. Takasaki, Z. Yamaguchi and Y. Ejima, Tokyo: 1977-. The transliterated Tibetan text is not a critical edition. I have included only those variants which are significant. For example, orthographic and tense variants are not noted. APPENDIX ONE 211 INTRODUCTION TO THE MIDDLE WAY (MADHYAMAKA VA TARA) CHAPTER ONE: GIVING (DANA) 1.1 nyan thos sangs rgyas 'bring rnams thub dbang skyesl sangs rgyas byang chub sems dpa' las 'khrungs shmgl snymg rjei sems dang gnyis su med blo dang 7 byang chub sems ni rgyal sras rnams kyi rgyul I [1] Disciples (sravaka) and intermediate buddhas are born from the mighty sages. Buddhas are born from bodhisattvas, and the causes of the victors' children (jina­ putra) are the compassionate mind (karuna-citta), a non-dualist intellect (advaya­ mati), and the fully evolved mind (bodhi-citta). 1.2 gang phyir brtse nyid rgyal bai 10 thog phun tshogs 'diil sa bon dang ni spella chu 'dra yun nng dul longs spyod gnas la smin pa Ita bur 'dod gyur pal de phYlr bdag gis thog mar snying rje bslod par bgyil I [7] Real love (krpa) is like the seeds of the victors' sublime crop, like the water [that is necessary] for their growth, and is like ripened [fruit] which remains ready for use. Therefore, at the beginning [of this text], I praise compassion (karuna). 1.3 dang por nga zhes bdag la zhen gyur zhing I bdag gi 'di zhes dngos fa chags bskyed pal zo chun 'phyan Itar rang dbang med pa yil 'gro la snying rjer gyur gang de la 'dudl I [9] Firstly [people] yearn for the self (alma), the '1', and then develop attachment for things, [the idea that] 'This is mine'. I bow to whoever has cultivated compassion for creatures who, like the whirling of a water-mill, have no freedom. 212 REASONING INTO REALITY 1.4 'gro ba g.yo bai chu yi nang gi zla ba Itar I g.yo dang rang bzhin nyid kyis stong par mthong ba yil rgyal bat sras po 'di yi sems gang 'gro ba rnamsl rnam par grol bar bya phyir snymg rjei dbang gyur cing II [10-11] Like the moon's [reflection] appearing in moving waters, creatures move yet are perceived to be empty by their very nature (svabhavata). Whoever has the mind of these victors' children generates the power of compassion so as to completely liberate creatures. 1.5 kun tu bzang poi smon pas rab bsngos dga' ba lal rab tu gnas pa de ni dang po zhes byao I de nas vzung ste de ni de thob gyur pa yisl byang chub sems dpa' zhes byai sgra nyid kyis bsnyad doll [11-14] By pure dedication with Samantabhadra's resolve, they fully remain in joy (mudita): this [level] is called 'the first'. On gaining this [level] they are then named by the actual term 'bodhisattva'. 1.6 'di ni de bzhin gshegs pa rnams kyi rigs su'ang skyes pa stel 'di yi kun tu sbyor ba gsum po thams cad spangs par yin [VP: gyur]/ byang chub sems dpa' de ni dga' ba mchog tu gyur 'chang zhing / 'Jig rten khams brgya kun nas g.yo bar nus par gyur pa'ang yinl / [16] These [bodhisattvas] are also born into the Tathagatas' family (kula) and they abandon all three fetters (samyojana). These bodhisattvas hold supreme joy and can even move around a hundred world-systems. 1.7 sa nas sar gnon byed cing gong mar rab tu 'gro bar 'gyur I de tshe 'di yi ngan 'groi lam rnams mtha' dag 'gag par 'gyur I de tshe 'di yi so so skyes boi sa rnams thams cad zad / 'di ni 'phags pa brgyad pa ji Ita de Itar nye bar bstan/ I [17] Pressing on from level to level, they move higher. Already all paths to unfortunate states are blocked and all levels as ordinary people (prthag-jana) have been exhausted. It is taught they quite resemble the eighth [level] saint. APPENDIX ONE 213 1.8 rdzogs pai byang chub sems Ita dang po la gnas kyang I thub dbang gsung skyes dan '5 bcas rang sangs rgyas rnams nil bsod nams dag gl dbang gis tVP: gil pliam byas rnam par 'phell de ni ring du song bar blo yang Ihag par 'gyur II [17-19] Even while abiding in this first viewing of the perfectly evolved mind (sambodhicitta) [the bodhisattvas] - through the force of their positive potentials (punya) - increase their preminance over those born from the mighty sage's speech and over self-evolvers. [The bodhisattvas] have gone further [than these others], and thus their minds are much purer. 1.9 de tse de la rdzogs sangs byang chub rgyul dang po sbyin pa nyid ni lhag par 'gyur I rang sha ster la' ang gus par byas pa yis I snang du mi rung dpog pai rgyur yang 'gyur II [23-24] By now they are become uncommon (adhika) due to their generosity (dana), which is the first cause for evolution to the perfect buddha. They act courteously even when giving their own flesh and they are also courageous at performing the seemingly unseemly. 1.10 skye bo 'di kun bde ba mngon 'dod cingl mi rnams bde ba'ang longs spyod med min lal longs spyod kyang ni sbyin las 'byung mkhyen nasi thub pas dang por sbyin pai gtam mazad do II [24] All the creatures long for manifest happiness and for humans there is no happiness without [material] affluence (bhoga). Knowing that affluence also comes from giving, the Sage spoke first of generosity. 1.11 snying rje dman zhing shin tu rtsub sems canl rang don lhur len nyid du gyur bafang I de dag gi yang'dod pai longs spyo rnams I sdug bsngal nyer zhii rgyur gyur sbyin las 'byungll [25] Those with poor compassion and very crude minds, who are obsessed by their own concerns, have their suffering appeased by longed-for affluence, and this comes from generosity. 214 REASONING INTO REALITY 1.12 di yang sbyin pai skabs kyis nam zhig tshel 'phags pai skye bo dang phrad myur du 'thob I de nas srid rgyun yang dag bead byas tel de yis rgyu ean zhi par 'gro bar 'gyur I I [26] Also, by performing generosity, there will come a time when they will shortly meet a saintly person and on achieving this they can then completely cut the stream of [samsaric] existence. Thus, from this cause they will proceed to serenity (santi). 1.13 'gro la phan par dam bcas yid can rnamsl sbyin pas ring par mi thogs dga' ba 'thob I gang phyir brtse bdag brtse bdag ma yin pal de phyir sbyin pai gtam nyid gtso bo yinl I [27] By thinking on the promise to benefit creatures [bodhisattvas, the Lords of Love,] gain long lasting joy through giving. Because [it is the cause of goodness for both] the Lords of Love and those who are not, the instruction about giving is singularly important. 1.14 ji Itar byin zhig ees sgra thos bsams lasl rgyal sras bde 'byung lie Itar thub rnams lal zhi bar zhugs pas bde ba byed min nal thams ead litang bas Ita zhig smos ei dgosl I [28] Such happiness (sukha) arises in victors' children from hearing and thinking the word 'Give!', that not even the sages are made this happy by entering [nirvana's] peace. Need I then explain [the bodhisattvas' happiness] of giving everything away! 1.15 Ius bead ster zhing bdag gi sdug bsngal gyisl gzhan dag rnams kyi dmyal ba la sags paz I sdug bsngal rang ng nyili du mthong nas de [D: nil I de bead bya phylr myur du brtson 'grus rtsoml I [29] When they multilate and give their bodies, through this suffering they perceive the suffering of others in the hells and so on. Thus, to sever [the miseries of others] they perform [self mutilation] swiftly and with enthusiasm. APPENDIX ONE 215 1.16 sbyin pa sbyin bya len po gtong pos stong I 'jig rten 'das pai pha rol phyirz zhes byal $sum po dag la chags skyes gyur pas del jig rten pa yi pha rol phyin zhes bstanl I [30-31] They see that giving (dana), the gift and the receiver are empty: this is called a transworldly perfection (lokottaraparamita).
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