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The Brahmā's Net Sutra

Translation of The Seal of the Dharma (84000)

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The Brahmā’s Net Sutra is the primary extant vinaya text that articulates a set of precepts from a Mahayana perspective, mainly intended for "bodhisattva practitioners" primarily householders, rather than renunciant monks or nuns. Before the appearance of this text the monastic rules and regulations in East Asian Buddhism were defined fully by the "Hinayana" vinaya, most importantly the Four-part Vinaya associated with the Dharmaguptaka school in India. With the appearance of the Brahmā’s Net Sutra many East Asian schools diversified their precept practices, with some groups of practitioners taking up either set of precepts, often utilizing both.

Composed in China around 420, the Brahmā’s Net Sutra is based on various contemporary Mahayana and Hinayana vinaya writings and includes extensive discussion of indigenous Chinese moral concepts such as filial piety, etc. The text is based in the same mainstream Mahayana thought of the Flower Ornament Sutra (Huayan jing), the Nirvana Sutra (Niepan jing), and the Sutra for Humane Kings (Renwang jing). In fact, the extent of the Brahmā's Net Sutra's agreement with the Flower Ornament Sutra is so pronounced that it is regarded as the "concluding sutra" of the latter.

Long thought to be the Skt. Brahmajāla-sūtra translated by Kumārajīva into the Chinese as Fanwang jing (梵網經), the work is now seen within modern scholarship as composed in China around 420, based on various Mahayana and Hinayana vinaya writings available at that time. 2 fascicles. (Source: BDK America)

Citation	Muller, A. Charles, and Kenneth K. Tanaka, trans. The Brahmā's Net Sutra: (Taishō Volume 24, Number 1484). Moraga, CA: BDK America, 2017.

ContentsSources

• A Message on the Publication of the English Tripiṭaka, NUMATA Yehanv
• Editorial Foreword, Kenneth K. Tanakavii
• Publisher's Foreword, A. Charles Mullerix
• Translators' Introduction, A. Charles Muller and Kenneth K. Tanakaxvii

• The Brahmā's Net Sutra
• Fascicle 1. Exposition of the Brahmā's Net Sutra
  • (Preface)3
  • Preface to the Brahmā's Net Sutra by Śramaṇa Sengzhao3
  • The Forty Stages4
    • (Convocation)4
    • Ten Departures for the Destination6
    • Ten Nourishing Mental States6
    • Ten Adamantine Mental States6
    • Ten Grounds7
  • The Ten Departures toward the Destination8
    • 1. The Mental State of Detachment8
    • 2. The Mental State of Morality8
    • 3. The Mental State of Patience9
    • 4. The Mental State of Zeal9
    • 5. The Mental State of Concentration10
    • 6. The Mental State of Insight10
    • 7. The Mental State of Making Vows11
    • 8. The Mental State of Guarding11
    • 9. The Mental State of Joy12
    • 10. The Summit Mental State12
  • The Ten Nourishing Mental States13
    • 1. The Mental State of Kindness13
    • 2. The Mental State of Pity13
    • 3. The Mental State of Joy14
    • 4. The Mental State of Nonattachment14
    • 5. The Mental State of Giving15
    • 6. The Mental State of Caring Speech15
    • 7. The Mental State of Beneficence15
    • 8. The Mental State of Sameness16
    • 9. The Mental State of Concentration16
    • 10. The Mental State of Insight16
  • The Ten Adamantine Mental States17
    • 1. The Mental State of Faith17
    • 2. The Mental State of Mindfulness18
    • 3. The Profound Mental State18
    • 4. The Mental State of Penetrating Illumination18
    • 5. The Direct Mental State19
    • 6. The Mental State of Nonretrogression19
    • 7. The Mental State of the Great Vehicle19
    • 8. The Markless Mental State20
    • 9. The Mental State of Wisdom20
    • 10. The Indestructible Mental State21
  • The Ten Grounds21
    • 1. The Ground of the Equality of the Essence21
    • 2. The Ground of the Skillful Wisdom of the Essence23
    • 3. The Ground of the Luminosity of the Essence25
    • 4. The Ground of the Knowability of the Essence26
    • 5. The Ground of the Wisdom-illumination of the Essence28
    • 6. The Ground of the Floral Radiance of the Essence29
    • 7. The Ground of the Completion of the Essential Nature31
    • 8. The Ground of the Buddha’s Roar of the Essential Nature32
    • 9. The Ground of the Flower Ornamentation of the Essence34
    • 10. The Ground of Entry into the Buddha Realm of the Essential Nature35

• Fascicle 2. The Precepts
  • Preface to the Bodhisattva Precepts of the Brahmā's Net Sutra37
  • Invocation38
  • The Teaching Transmitted to the Transformation-body Buddhas38
  • Repayment of Kindness and a Separate Iteration of the Teaching39
  • The Exhortation40
  • The Bodhisattva Precepts41
    • The Transmission and Remembrance of the Founding Teacher41
  • Preface to the Formation of the Precepts42
    • Interlocutor’s Preface42
    • The Preface of the World-honored One42
      • The Preface of the Preceptor42
      • The Dharma Preface43
      • The Preface for the Disciples43
  • The Main Sermon43
    • Introduction of the Exhortation to Uphold43
  • The Ten Grave Precepts44
    • 1. Prohibition of Killing for Pleasure44
    • 2. Prohibition of Stealing Others’ Property44
    • 3. Prohibition of the Heartless Pursuit of Lust44
    • 4. Prohibition of Intentional Lying45
    • 5. Prohibition of the Sale of Alcohol45
    • 6. Prohibition of Speaking of the Faults of Others45
    • 7. Prohibition of Praising Oneself and Disparaging Others46
    • 8. Prohibition of Parsimony and Abuse of Others46
    • 9. Prohibition of Holding Resentments and Not Accepting Apologies46
    • 10. Prohibition of Denigration of the Three Treasures47
  • Conclusion47
  • The Minor Precepts48
    • Division of Ten Precepts48
      • Precepts Concerning the Guarding of One's Own Thoughts
        • 1. Do Not Show Disrespect to Senior Teachers48
        • 2. Do Not Drink Alcohol48

• • • • Protecting Other’s Mental Functions
        • 3. Do Not Eat Meat49
        • 4. Do Not Eat the Five Pungent Roots49
        • 5. Do Not Fail to Encourage Others to Repent49
      • Reversing and Cultivating the Buddha-dharma
        • 6. Do Not Fail to Request Instruction in the Dharma from Visiting Teachers50
        • 7. Do Not Miss a Chance to Attend Dharma Lectures50
        • 8. Do Not Abandon the Great Vehicle and Regress to the Lesser Vehicle50
      • Saving and Protecting Sentient Beings
        • 9. Do Not Fail to Care for the Ill51
        • 10. Do Not Amass Weapons51
    • Division of Ten Precepts51
      • Guarding One's Own Virtue
        • 11. Do Not Serve as a Negotiator for the Military52
        • 12. Do Not Get Involved in Trade and Business that Causes Trouble for Others52
        • 13. Do Not Make Groundless Accusations52
        • 14. Do Not Harm Living Beings by Setting Fires52
      • Bringing Others into the Fold and Protecting Them
        • 15. Do Not Teach Non-Buddhist Doctrines53
        • 16. Do Not be Parsimonious with Offering Material Wealth or the Dharma53
        • 17. Do Not Seek to Gain Political Influence54
        • 18. Do Not Pretend to Be An Accomplished Teacher54
        • 19. Do Not Get Involved in Treachery54
        • 20. Do Not Fail to Help Both the Living and the Deceased55
    • Division of Ten Precepts55
      • The Shared Cultivation of the Three Karmic Activities
        • 21. Do Not Be Intolerant of Wrongs Done by Others56
        • 22. Do Not Arrogantly Despise Your Dharma Teacher56
        • 23. Do Not Despise Beginning Practitioners57
      • Practicing with Those Who Hold the Same Vows
        • 24. Do Not Fear the Superior and Follow the Inferior58
      • Properly Maintaining the Sangha
        • 25. Do Not Fail to Properly Fulfill Administrative Duties58
        • 26. Do Not Receive Guests Improperly58
        • 27. Do Not Accept Personal Invitations59
        • 28. Do Not Extend Personal Invitations to Monks59
      • Harmonizing and Polishing the Precepts
        • 29. Do Not Engage in Improper Livelihood60
        • 30. Do Not Hurt People While Feigning Intimacy with Them60
    • Division of Nine Precepts60
      • Making Proper Donations
        • 31. Do Not Be Lax in Rescuing Vulnerable Articles and People from Harm61
      • Not Doing As One Pleases
        • 32. Do Not Deviously Confiscate Others’ Property61
      • Avoiding Harmful Influences
        • 33. Do Not Pass Your Time in Idleness62
      • Advancing in the True Vehicle
        • 34. Do Not Abandon the Aspiration for Enlightenment62
      • Not Avoiding Making Vows
        • 35. Do Not Fail to Make Vows63
      • Making Vows
        • 36. Do Not Fail to Initiate Vows on Your Own63
      • Avoiding Danger
        • 37. Do Not Intentionally Go to Dangerous Places65
      • Not Creating Confusion
        • 38. Do Not Take Your Place Out of Order66
      • Profit and Happiness
        • 39. Do Not Pursue Personal Gain66
    • Division of Nine Precepts67
      • Using Moral Discipline to Gather (Believers)67
      • Gathering in People of Various Capacities
        • 40. Do Not Err in Terms of Who Can Be Taught67
      • Separating Out Wrong Situations
        • 41. Do Not Seek Disciples for the Wrong Reasons68
      • Guarding the External
        • 42. Do Not Give the Precepts to Unsuitable People70
      • Guarding the Internal
        • 43. Do Not Intentionally Break the Holy Precepts70
      • Showing Respect
        • 44. Do Not Fail to Revere the Sutras and Vinayas71
      • Teaching By Means of Compassion
      • Being Proactive71
        • 45. Do Not Fail to Teach Sentient Beings71
      • Teaching Others
        • 46. Do Not Preach the Dharma Using Improper Protocol71
      • Warding Off Evil
        • 47. Do Not Establish Systems that Undermine the Dharma72
      • Maintaining Orthodoxy
        • 48. Do Not Undermine the Dharma from Within73
  • General Conclusion73
  • Dissemination Section74
    • Concluding Exhortation for Faithful Practice74
• Notes77
• Glossary81
• Bibliography87
• Index89
• A List of the Volumes of the BDK English Tripiṭaka (First Series)101

1. Fanwang jing - *Brahmajālasūtra - (Chos kyi rgya mo sangs rgyas rnam par snang mdzad kyis byang chub sems dpa'i sems kyi gnas bshad pa le'u bcu pa). (D 256) mdo sde, za 74a4-91a7 (vol. 66). rKTs, Columbia AIBS, ACIP, .

vinaya - Vinaya refers to the corpus of Buddhist teachings on moral discipline and precepts and is one of the three canonical sets of teachings alongside Sūtra and Abhidharma. It also refers to the monastic tradition which has been passed down since the Buddha's time until our time. Skt. विनय Tib. འདུལ་བ། Ch. 毘奈耶

Go to the page with the definition of 'vinaya'

vinaya - Vinaya refers to the corpus of Buddhist teachings on moral discipline and precepts and is one of the three canonical sets of teachings alongside Sūtra and Abhidharma. It also refers to the monastic tradition which has been passed down since the Buddha's time until our time. Skt. विनय Tib. འདུལ་བ། Ch. 毘奈耶

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Bodhisattva - A person who seeks enlightenment for the sake of others. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a compassionate being who is training on the path to Buddhahood and aspires to eliminate the suffering of all beings and take all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. The Mahāyāna sūtras including those on buddha-nature generally have Bodhisattvas as the main audience or interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses. Skt. बोधिसत्त्व Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ། Ch. 菩薩

Go to the page with the definition of 'bodhisattva'

Bodhisattva - A person who seeks enlightenment for the sake of others. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a compassionate being who is training on the path to Buddhahood and aspires to eliminate the suffering of all beings and take all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. The Mahāyāna sūtras including those on buddha-nature generally have Bodhisattvas as the main audience or interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses. Skt. बोधिसत्त्व Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ། Ch. 菩薩

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vinaya - Vinaya refers to the corpus of Buddhist teachings on moral discipline and precepts and is one of the three canonical sets of teachings alongside Sūtra and Abhidharma. It also refers to the monastic tradition which has been passed down since the Buddha's time until our time. Skt. विनय Tib. འདུལ་བ། Ch. 毘奈耶

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vinaya - Vinaya refers to the corpus of Buddhist teachings on moral discipline and precepts and is one of the three canonical sets of teachings alongside Sūtra and Abhidharma. It also refers to the monastic tradition which has been passed down since the Buddha's time until our time. Skt. विनय Tib. འདུལ་བ། Ch. 毘奈耶

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sūtra - Sūtras mainly refer to the discourses delivered by the Buddha and his disciples, and the Sūtra corpus is one of the three main sets of teachings which form the Buddhist canon. Skt. सूत्र Tib. མདོ། Ch. 佛经

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Taishō - Taishō Shinshū Daizōkyō, Chinese Tripiṭaka

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prabhāsvaratā - In a general sense, that which clears away darkness, though it often appears in Buddhist literature in reference to the mind or its nature. It is a particularly salient feature of Tantric literature, especially in regard to the advanced meditation techniques of the completion-stage yogas. Skt. प्रभास्वर Tib. འོད་གསལ་ Ch. 光明

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Bodhisattva - A person who seeks enlightenment for the sake of others. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a compassionate being who is training on the path to Buddhahood and aspires to eliminate the suffering of all beings and take all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. The Mahāyāna sūtras including those on buddha-nature generally have Bodhisattvas as the main audience or interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses. Skt. बोधिसत्त्व Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ། Ch. 菩薩

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Bodhisattva - A person who seeks enlightenment for the sake of others. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a compassionate being who is training on the path to Buddhahood and aspires to eliminate the suffering of all beings and take all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. The Mahāyāna sūtras including those on buddha-nature generally have Bodhisattvas as the main audience or interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses. Skt. बोधिसत्त्व Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ། Ch. 菩薩

Go to the page with the definition of 'Bodhisattva'