Verse III.31

Ratnagotravibhāga Root Verse III.31

Verse III.31 Variations

गुरु कस्माद्यतः सारं सारं कस्माद्यतो दृढम्
दृढं कस्माद्यतोऽभेद्यमभेद्यत्वाच्च वज्रवत्

E. H. Johnston as input by the University of the West.^[1]

guru kasmādyataḥ sāraṃ sāraṃ kasmādyato dṛḍham
dṛḍhaṃ kasmādyato'bhedyamabhedyatvācca vajravat

E. H. Johnston as input by the University of the West.^[2]

གང་ཕྱིར་བརླིང་བ་སྙིང་པོའི་ཕྱིར། །
གང་ཕྱིར་སྙིང་པོ་བརྟན་པའི་ཕྱིར། །
གང་ཕྱིར་བརྟན་པ་མི་ཕྱེད་ཕྱིར། །
མི་ཕྱེད་ཕྱིར་ན་རྡོ་རྗེ་བཞིན། །

Dege, PHI, 132-133

Why are they weighty? Because they are firm.
Why are they firm? Because they are strong.
Why are they strong? Because they are unbreakable.
Since they are unbreakable, they are like a vajra.

When the Clouds Part, Brunnhölzl, 434 ^[3]

Pourquoi sont-elles sûres ? Parce qu’elles sont essentielles.

Essentielles ? Parce qu’elles sont stables. Stables ?

Parce qu’elles sont indestructibles. Et comme elles sont

Indestructibles, on les compare à des vajras.

Charrier, Christian and Patrick Carré. Traité de la Continuité suprême du Grand Véhicule. Plazac: Éditions Padmakara, 2019.

RGVV Commentary on Verse III.31

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Chinese

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Full English Commentary
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།གནས་འདི་དག་ལ་གོ་རིམས་བཞིན་དུ་རྡོ་རྗེ་དང་། སེང་གེ་དང་། ནམ་མཁའ་དང་། ཆུ་ཟླའི་དཔེ་བརྗོད་པ་གང་ཡིན་པ་དེའི་བསྡུས་པའི་དོན་ཚིགས་སུ་བཅད་པ་བཅུས་རིག་པར་བྱ་སྟེ། མི་ཕྱེད་པ་དང་མི་ཞན་དང་། །མཚུངས་པ་མེད་དང་གཡོ་མེད་ཕྱིར། །རྡོ་རྗེ་སེང་གེ་མཁའ་དག་དང་། །ཆུ་ཡི་ཟླ་བའི་དཔེས་བསྟན་ཏོ། །སྟོབས་སོགས་རྣམས་ལས་སྟོབས་དྲུག་དང་། །གསུམ་དང་གཅིག་གིས་རིམ་པ་བཞིན། །ཤེས་བྱ་སྙོམས་པར་འཇུག་པ་དང་། །བག་ཆགས་བཅས་པ་ཀུན་བསལ་བས། །གོ་ཆ་རྩིག་པ་ཤིང་བཞིན་དུ། །ཕུག་དང་བཤིག་དང་བཅད་ཕྱིར་རོ། །གླིང་དང་སྙིང་བརྟན་མི་ཕྱེད་པས། །དྲང་སྲོང་སྟོབས་ནི་རྡོ་རྗེ་འདྲ། །གང་ཕྱིར་བརླིང་བ་སྙིང་པོའི་ཕྱིར། །གང་ཕྱིར་སྙིང་པོ་བསྟན་པའི་ཕྱིར། །གང་ཕྱིར་བརྟན་པ་མི་ཕྱེད་ཕྱིར། །མི་ཕྱེད་ཕྱིར་ན་རྡོ་རྗེ་བཞིན། །འཇིགས་མེད་ཕྱིར་དང་ལྟོས་མེད་ཕྱིར། །བརྟན་ཕྱིར་རྩལ་ནི་ཕུན་ཚོགས་པས། །ཐུབ་པ་སེང་གེ་སེང་གེ་བཞིན། །འཁོར་གྱི་ཚོགས་སུ་འཇིགས་མི་མངའ། །ཀུན་མངོན་མཁྱེན་པས་གང་ལས་ཀྱང་། །འཇིགས་མེད་པར་ནི་རྣམ་པར་གནས། །དག་པའི་སེམས་ཅན་དང་ཡང་བདག །མི་མཉམ་གཟིགས་ཕྱིར་ལྟོས་པ་མེད། །ཐུགས་ནི་ཆོས་རྣམས་ཐམས་ཅད་ལ། །རྩེ་གཅིག་ཕྱིར་ན་བརྟན་པ་ཉིད། །མཆོག་ཏུ་མ་རིག་བག་ཆགས་ཀྱི། །ས་ལས་རྒལ་ཕྱིར་རྩལ་ལྡན་ནོ། །འཇིག་རྟེན་ཉན་ཐོས་མཐའ་གཅིག་པུ། །སྤྱོད་དང་བློ་ལྡན་རང་བྱུང་རྣམས། །གོང་ནས་གོང་དུ་བློ་དག་ནི། །ཕྲ་ཕྱིར་དཔེ་ནི་རྣམ་པ་ལྔ། །འཇིག་རྟེན་ཀུན་གྱི་ཉེར་འཚོའི་ཕྱིར། །ས་ཆུ་མེ་རླུང་རྣམས་དང་མཚུངས། །འཇིག་རྟེན་འཇིག་རྟེན་འདས་པ་ཡི། །མཚན་ཉིད་ལས་འདས་ནམ་མཁའ་བཞིན། །དེ་དག་ཡོན་ཏན་སུམ་ཅུ་ནི། །གཉིས་འདི་ཆོས་སྐུས་རབ་ཕྱེ་སྟེ། །ནོར་བུ་རིན་ཆེན་འོད་མདོག་དང་། །དབྱིངས་བཞིན་དབྱེ་བ་མེད་ཕྱིར་རོ། །མཐོང་ན་ཚིམ་བྱེད་ཡོན་ཏན་གང་། །སུམ་ཅུ་རྩ་གཉིས་ཞེས་བྱ་བ། །སྤྲུལ་པ་ཆོས་ལ་རྫོགས་པར་ནི། །ལོངས་སྤྱོད་རྫོགས་སྐུ་གཉིས་ལ་བརྟེན། །དག་ལས་རིང་དང་ཉེ་རྣམས་ལས། །འཇིག་རྟེན་རྒྱལ་བའི་དཀྱིལ་འཁོར་དུ། །ཆུ་དང་ནམ་མཁའ་ཟླ་གཟུགས་བཞིན། །དེ་མཐོང་བ་ནི་རྣམ་པ་

གཉིས།

Other English translations[edit]

Obermiller (1931) ^[11]

Why are they steady?—Because they are essential.

Why are they essential?一Because they are firm.

Why are they firm?—Because they are unbreakable.

And being unbreakable, they are like a thunderbolt.

Takasaki (1966) ^[12]

Why are they 'heavy'? Because they are 'solid';

Why are they 'solid'? Because they are 'firm';

Why are they 'firm'? Because they are 'unbreakable'.

And being 'unbreakable', they are like a thunderbolt.

Fuchs (2000) ^[13]

Why are they firm? Because they are essential.

Why essential? Because they are steadfast.

Why steadfast? Because they are unchangeable.

Being unchangeable, they are like a vajra.

Textual sources[edit]

Commentaries on this verse[edit]

Academic notes[edit]

Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Unicode Input
Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Unicode Input
Brunnhölzl, Karl. When the Clouds Part: The Uttaratantra and its Meditative Tradition as a Bridge between Sūtra and Tantra. Boston: Snow Lion Publications, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, 2014.
I follow Schmithausen’s suggestion of linking balādiṣu at the beginning of III.29 with III.28.
Skt. nirvedhikatva. Though DP mistakenly has "impenetrable" (mi phyed pa), as confirmed by VT (fol. 15v3) nairvedhikatvena and C, the point here is that a vajra penetrates other materials, not that it is itself impenetrable.
Since this verse obviously refers back to and comments on III.16ab, with Schmithausen, I follow C pañcadhātu versus J pañcadhā tu. Thus, the qualities of worldly people, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas ("the intelligent") are compared with earth, water, fire, and wind, respectively, while the buddhas ("the self-arisen") with their unique qualities are like space.
As mentioned above, III.36 is the commentarial verse on III.16cd. VT (fol. 15v5– 6) explains here that earth, water, fire, and wind in III.36c exemplify the qualities of worldly people, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, respectively, which are to be enjoyed by all. On the other hand, the unique buddha qualities are completely beyond even the supramundane—the qualities of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas—and therefore resemble space. Note that Schmithausen refers to the following two passages in RGVV to support his reading that the subject of the entire verse III.36 is nothing but the unique buddha qualities: (a) A verse in RGVV (J17.10f) says:
Those who gave rise to supreme compassion for others

And adopted discipline support the livelihood of others,

Just like fire, wind, water, and earth.

They [truly] possess discipline, [but] others are [only] a likeness of that.

(b) RGVV’s quote from the Avataṃsakasūtra (J23.14 ad 24.8) says, "tathāgata wisdom, the immeasurable wisdom that is the wisdom that sustains all sentient beings, pervades the mind streams of all sentient beings in its entirety . . . this immeasurable tathāgata wisdom becomes what sustains the entire world." However, it is clear from the context that (a) refers to bodhisattvas and not buddhas. Also, (b) does not refer specifically to the unique buddha qualities as they are discussed in III.16 and III.36 but to buddha wisdom in a very general way.
I follow Schmithausen’s emendation °lakṣaṇākhyā ye or lakṣaṇāhvā ye (supported by DP gang / sum cu rtsa gnyis zhes bya ba) of J lakṣaṇāḥ kāye.
MB dvidhā tu darśanaṃ, J dvidhā taddarśanaṃ (following DP de mthong ba ni rnam pa gneiss). However, DP thong ba for darśanaṃ means "seeing"instead of "display," as the term was used so far in relation to the rūpakāyas. Thus, in DP, III.39ab reads, "For those who dwell far from and close to purity, the seeing of these [kāyas occurs] in two ways."
I follow Schmithausen’s emendation śuddhavāri° of J śuddhaṃ vāri°, which accords with C and °svacchadakacandra° in III.28d. Also, DP chu dang means "clear/pure water" and not "water and . . ." The most straightforward reading of this verse is that the nirmāṇakāya appears to those distant from purity (ordinary beings, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas), which is just like the reflection of the moon in water, while the sambhogakāya appears to those close to purity (bodhisattvas on the bhūmis), which is just like the actual moon in the sky. However, VT (fol. 15v7) seems to relate III.39d only to "in the maṇḍala of the victor,"saying that "the manifestation in the maṇḍala of the victor for those who are far from purity [occurs] in the form of the nirmāṇa[kāya], which is like [the reflection of] the moon in water, while the manifestation for those who are close to purity is the sambhoga[kāya], which is like the moon in the sky."On this reading, the nirmāṇakāya and sambhogakāya appear only to those in the retinue of a buddha. By contrast, the ways in which a buddha appears "in the world" (that is, outside of his retinue) could implicitly be understood as the appearances of the other two types of nirmāṇakāyas beyond the actual form of a nirmāṇakāya buddha such as Buddha Śākyamuni—artistic nirmāṇakāya forms (such as great artists, healers, and musicians) and incarnate nirmāṇakāya forms (appearing as anything that is beneficial for beings, be it animate or inanimate, such as ordinary beings, animals, or medicine).
Obermiller, E. "The Sublime Science of the Great Vehicle to Salvation Being a Manual of Buddhist Monism." Acta Orientalia IX (1931), pp. 81-306.
Takasaki, Jikido. A Study on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra): Being a Treatise on the Tathāgatagarbha Theory of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Serie Orientale Roma 33. Roma: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (ISMEO), 1966.
Fuchs, Rosemarie, trans. Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra. Commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul and explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso. Ithaca, N. Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 2000.

[1] Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Unicode Input

[2] Digital Sanskrit Buddhist Canon Unicode Input

[3] Brunnhölzl, Karl. When the Clouds Part: The Uttaratantra and its Meditative Tradition as a Bridge between Sūtra and Tantra. Boston: Snow Lion Publications, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, 2014.

[4] I follow Schmithausen’s suggestion of linking balādiṣu at the beginning of III.29 with III.28.

[5] Skt. nirvedhikatva. Though DP mistakenly has "impenetrable" (mi phyed pa), as confirmed by VT (fol. 15v3) nairvedhikatvena and C, the point here is that a vajra penetrates other materials, not that it is itself impenetrable.

[6] Since this verse obviously refers back to and comments on III.16ab, with Schmithausen, I follow C pañcadhātu versus J pañcadhā tu. Thus, the qualities of worldly people, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas ("the intelligent") are compared with earth, water, fire, and wind, respectively, while the buddhas ("the self-arisen") with their unique qualities are like space.

[7] As mentioned above, III.36 is the commentarial verse on III.16cd. VT (fol. 15v5– 6) explains here that earth, water, fire, and wind in III.36c exemplify the qualities of worldly people, śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas, respectively, which are to be enjoyed by all. On the other hand, the unique buddha qualities are completely beyond even the supramundane—the qualities of śrāvakas, pratyekabuddhas, and bodhisattvas—and therefore resemble space. Note that Schmithausen refers to the following two passages in RGVV to support his reading that the subject of the entire verse III.36 is nothing but the unique buddha qualities: (a) A verse in RGVV (J17.10f) says:
Those who gave rise to supreme compassion for others

And adopted discipline support the livelihood of others,

Just like fire, wind, water, and earth.

They [truly] possess discipline, [but] others are [only] a likeness of that.

(b) RGVV’s quote from the Avataṃsakasūtra (J23.14 ad 24.8) says, "tathāgata wisdom, the immeasurable wisdom that is the wisdom that sustains all sentient beings, pervades the mind streams of all sentient beings in its entirety . . . this immeasurable tathāgata wisdom becomes what sustains the entire world." However, it is clear from the context that (a) refers to bodhisattvas and not buddhas. Also, (b) does not refer specifically to the unique buddha qualities as they are discussed in III.16 and III.36 but to buddha wisdom in a very general way.

[8] I follow Schmithausen’s emendation °lakṣaṇākhyā ye or lakṣaṇāhvā ye (supported by DP gang / sum cu rtsa gnyis zhes bya ba) of J lakṣaṇāḥ kāye.

[9] MB dvidhā tu darśanaṃ, J dvidhā taddarśanaṃ (following DP de mthong ba ni rnam pa gneiss). However, DP thong ba for darśanaṃ means "seeing"instead of "display," as the term was used so far in relation to the rūpakāyas. Thus, in DP, III.39ab reads, "For those who dwell far from and close to purity, the seeing of these [kāyas occurs] in two ways."

[10] I follow Schmithausen’s emendation śuddhavāri° of J śuddhaṃ vāri°, which accords with C and °svacchadakacandra° in III.28d. Also, DP chu dang means "clear/pure water" and not "water and . . ." The most straightforward reading of this verse is that the nirmāṇakāya appears to those distant from purity (ordinary beings, śrāvakas, and pratyekabuddhas), which is just like the reflection of the moon in water, while the sambhogakāya appears to those close to purity (bodhisattvas on the bhūmis), which is just like the actual moon in the sky. However, VT (fol. 15v7) seems to relate III.39d only to "in the maṇḍala of the victor,"saying that "the manifestation in the maṇḍala of the victor for those who are far from purity [occurs] in the form of the nirmāṇa[kāya], which is like [the reflection of] the moon in water, while the manifestation for those who are close to purity is the sambhoga[kāya], which is like the moon in the sky."On this reading, the nirmāṇakāya and sambhogakāya appear only to those in the retinue of a buddha. By contrast, the ways in which a buddha appears "in the world" (that is, outside of his retinue) could implicitly be understood as the appearances of the other two types of nirmāṇakāyas beyond the actual form of a nirmāṇakāya buddha such as Buddha Śākyamuni—artistic nirmāṇakāya forms (such as great artists, healers, and musicians) and incarnate nirmāṇakāya forms (appearing as anything that is beneficial for beings, be it animate or inanimate, such as ordinary beings, animals, or medicine).

[11] Obermiller, E. "The Sublime Science of the Great Vehicle to Salvation Being a Manual of Buddhist Monism." Acta Orientalia IX (1931), pp. 81-306.

[12] Takasaki, Jikido. A Study on the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra): Being a Treatise on the Tathāgatagarbha Theory of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Serie Orientale Roma 33. Roma: Istituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente (ISMEO), 1966.

[13] Fuchs, Rosemarie, trans. Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra. Commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul and explanations by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso. Ithaca, N. Y.: Snow Lion Publications, 2000.

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