Appendix

THOROUGH ELUCIDATION
OF THE MEANING OF THE WORDS:
AN EXPOSITION OF THE “HEART OF WISDOM”31
Jamyang Gawai Lodrö (1429-1503)

Respectfully, I pay homage to the lotus feet of the most holy Manjushri.

Having bowed to the conqueror who taught that there are not two but only one path trodden by all the buddhas and their children, I shall elucidate here briefly the words of the Heart [of Wisdom], which is the most cherished treasury of all his teachings.

Here, the exposition of the Heart of Wisdom has four sections:

1. The meaning of its title
2. Homage by the translator
3. Subject matter of the main text
4. Conclusion

The first refers to “In Indian language...,” etc, the understanding of which is easy.

The second [the homage by the translator] refers to “Homage to the Bhagavati, the perfection of wisdom.” This has been inserted by the translator.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE MAIN TEXT

The third [the subject matter of the main text] consists of two sections:

I. Prologue indicating the origination of the sutra
II. Subject matter of the actual sutra thus evolved

 

PROLOGUE

The first is twofold:
a. Common prologue
b. Uncommon prologue

The first [the common prologue] refers to the coming together of the four perfect factors. “Thus have I once heard” indicates the perfect factor of time; “The Blessed One” indicates the perfect factor of teacher; “In Rajaghriha at Vulture Peak” indicates the perfect factor of place; and “along with a great community of monks...bodhisattvas” indicates the perfect factor of retinues. These are easy to understand.

The second [the uncommon prologue] refers to [the following two passages:] “at that time, the Blessed One entered the meditative absorption on the varieties of phenomena called the appearance of the profound” and “At that time as well, the noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, clearly beheld the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom and saw that even the five aggregates are empty of intrinsic existence.” The teacher abided in meditative absorption and through his blessing inspired the following queries and responses.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE ACTUAL SUTRA

The subject matter of the actual sutra, which is the perfect teaching, has four parts:

a. Shariputra’s question on the mode of practicing the perfection of wisdom
b. Avalokiteshvara’s responses
c. The teacher’s affirmation of this
d. The assembly members’ delight and their pledge to uphold32

The first [Shariputra’s question] is [presented in the following]: “Thereupon, through the Buddha’s inspiration, the venerable Shariputra spoke to the noble Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, and said, ‘How should any noble son or noble daughter who wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom train?’” The question is thus raised. This is a question pertaining to the mode of training in the [bodhisattva] practices in the aftermath of generating the mind [of awakening] for those who possess the inclination toward the great vehicle.

The second—how the replies were given—has three parts:

1. Individual presentation of the mode of training in the path to those of inferior faculties
2. Presentation through mere words of mantra to those of superior faculties
3. Exhortation to train by means of summarizing the subject matter

The first consists of [the following]:
a. Presentation of the mode of training in the perfection of wisdom on the path of accumulation and the path of preparation
b. Presentation of the mode of training on the path of seeing
c. Presentation of the mode of training on the path of meditation
d. Presentation of the mode of training on the path of no more learning

TRAINING ON THE PATHS OF ACCUMULATION AND PREPARATION

The first is composed of:
1. Transition
2. Mode of training in the [ultimate] nature of the aggregate of form
3. Extending the same analysis to the remaining aggregates

The first [the transition] is presented in the following: “When this had been said, the holy Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being, spoke to the venerable Shariputra and said, ‘Shariputra, any noble son or noble daughter who so wishes to engage in the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom should clearly see this way.’” Thus by stating that this is how one should see on the path of accumulation and the path of preparation, a transition [between the Shariputra’s question and Avalokiteshvara’s response] is provided.

The second [the mode of training in the ultimate nature of the aggregate of form] is [first] presented in amconcise form in the following: “They should see perfectly that even the five aggregates are empty ofmintrinsic existence.”33

“In what manner are [phenomena] empty of intrinsic existence?” [Answer] “Form is devoid of intrinsic existence; while being empty of intrinsic nature, it still appears as form. Emptiness is not other than the aggregate of form; form too is not of separate nature from emptiness.”34 Thus by presenting the two truths to be of one reality but with two aspects, they are revealed to be free of the extremes of absolutism and nihilism.

The third [extending the same analysis to the remaining aggregates] is presented in the passage “Likewise, feelings...consciousness are all empty.” With these the remaining aggregates are taught to be viewed in the same manner. This is known as the fourfold emptiness and [is also] referred to as the profound endowed with four aspects. The point being stressed here is that one views [emptiness] on the path of accumulation primarily through hearing and reflection, and on the path of preparation principally through understanding derived from meditation.

TRAINING ON THE PATH OF SEEING

The second [training on the path of seeing] is presented in the passage “Therefore, Shariputra, all phenomena are emptiness; they are without defining characteristics...they are not complete.” This is known as the profound endowed with eight aspects. By refuting eight aspects of the object of negation, this [passage] presents the mode of entering the three doors of thorough liberation on the path of seeing. This is stated in the oral instructions of the great master [Atisha], which has been put into writing by Ngok Lekshe in his concise presentation.35

“All phenomena are emptiness” presents the emptiness door of thorough liberation, while the five “They are without defining characteristics; they are not born, they do not cease; they are not defiled, they are not undefiled” present the signlessness door of thorough liberation. This is because it presents the absence of the five signs—the signifying characteristics of cause, the absence of origination and cessation of the effects, which are the signified, the absence of the thoroughly afflicted class of phenomena, which is the defiled, and the absence of the enlightened class of phenomena, which are free of defilements. [The phrase] “They are not deficient” presents the wishlessness [door of thorough liberation] of the results.

TRAINING ON THE PATH OF MEDITATION

The third—training on the path of meditation—has two parts:

1. Mode of training on the path of meditation in general
2. Mode of training in the causal diamond-like [absorption]

The first [the mode of training on the path of meditation in general] is presented in the passage “Therefore, Shariputra, in emptiness, there is no form...and even no non-attainment.” Vimalamitra adds a preceding adverbial phrase, thus reading this as “Therefore, at that point, in emptiness, there is no form.” He reads this as stating that the path of meditation, which is the continuum of the habituation, arises as a fruit of actualizing the three doors of thorough liberation on the path of seeing by means of refuting the eight objects of negation. Citing thus, the question is raised: “What kinds of perception arise on the path of meditation whilst one is immersed in meditative equipoise insofar as the perspectives of that meditative equipoise are concerned?” It is revealed that “from form to attainments and non-attainments” [phenomena] do not appear as any [of these]. Vimala then cites [the passage] “To see all phenomena is to see emptiness.”36

The non-observance of the five aggregates is presented in the passage “There is no form, no feelings...” up to “...no consciousness.” The non-observance of the twelve sources is presented in the passage “There is no eye...no mental objects.” The non-observance of the eighteen elements is presented in the passage “There is no eye-element...up to no element of mental consciousness.” There is an observation that in the [original] Indian text there exists a concise presentation up to the [class of] faculties and consciousness, however the translator has abbreviated these [here]. I find this view acceptable.

Then the passage “There is no ignorance...and no extinction of aging and death” presents the absence of the thoroughly afflicted class of phenomena and even the dependent origination of the enlightened class of phenomena insofar as the perspective of the meditative equipoise is concerned. The passage “suffering...” presents the absence of the [four noble] truths, which are the objects of the path. The passage “There is no wisdom...” presents that even the path itself does not exist insofar as thisperspective is concerned.37

Vimala states that in some versions [of the Heart Sutra] there exists the passage “There is no ignorance” as well. If this is so, this should be read as stating that there does not exist even the opposite of wisdom, which is ignorance. A later master, the great Chöje Rongpa, appears to follow a tradition that suggests that there exists in the Indian text the sentence “There is no insight” before [the reference to] wisdom.38

The phrase “There is no attainment” indicates the absence of the attainment of such fruits as the [ten] powers and the [four types of] fearlessness. This should be extended also to read “There is no non- attainment as well.” Vimala reads this as stating “having negated conceptions of attainment, in order to negate the conceptions pertaining to non-attainment...” The great Chöje Rongpa, however, adds the qualification “On the ultimate level, there is no attainment; yet on the conventional, there is not even non-attainment.” He then asserts that this dual formulation should be extended to all [classes of phenomena mentioned] up to this point.

This seems to be an interpretation of the intention of the following statement of Vimala: “One shoul dunderstand that this [passage] reveals the profound meaning, which is free of the extremes of reification and denigration, by means of going beyond wisdom, ignorance, attainment, and non-attainment.” However, since the context here is a discussion of how the perception of form does not arise within the perspective of the meditative equipoise when probing the nature of reality, [this reflects] Chöje’s failure of understanding.

Thus the statement that there is nothing whatsoever—the five aggregates, the twelve sources, the eighteen elements, the twelve links of dependent origination, the four noble truths, the nature of the perceiving paths, the attainment of results, or their non-attainment—within the perspective of the meditative equipoise, and the statement that they are devoid of intrinsic existence, share the same meaning. This is because if form exists within the perspective of the very awareness that perceives its ultimate mode of being, form then becomes substantially real. So, in brief, these passages instruct that on the path of meditation one should abide in equipoise on the single taste of the suchness, which is the total pacification of all dualistic elaborations, such as the conceptualization of form and so on.

The second [the mode of training in the causal diamond-like meditative absorption] is presented in the following: “Therefore, Shariputra, since bodhisattvas have no attainments, they rely on this perfection of wisdom and abide in it.”

This is presented in the passage “Having no obscuration in their minds, they have no fear, and going utterly beyond error, they will reach the end of nirvana.”

TRAINING ON THE PATH OF NO MORE LEARNING

Vimala states that by gradually eliminating the subtle and coarse obscurations corresponding to the ten [bodhisattva] levels as enumerated in the Sutra Unraveling the Thought of the Buddha, one becomes free of the fears born of the four distortions. One thus reaches beyond them and attains the non-abiding nirvana.39 The great Chöje Rongpa, however, reads this as stating “As there is no obscuration of self-grasping in one’s mind, there is no fear of emptiness,” thus seeming to introduce additional words at will.

If one were to summarize the above, this [section of the text] presents [the following:] On the path of accumulation and the path of preparation, one engages in the practice of emptiness through hearing and reflection and through meditation respectively; while on the path of seeing one actualizes the three doors of thorough liberation by means of refuting the eight objects of negation. On the path of meditation one pacifies all elaborations, such as the conceptualization of form and so on, and travels up to the tenth [bodhisattva] level. One thus eliminates all the defilements corresponding to the ten levels and attains the states of the “three great [objectives].”40 In this way, it presents the mode of training on the five paths for the trainees of inferior faculties.

Then the passage “All the buddhas too who abide in the three times...” presents the need to train in this very path of all the buddhas. This is easy to understand.

PRESENTATION THROUGH MERE WORDS OF MANTRA TO THOSE OF SUPERIOR FACULTIES

The second [the presentation through mere words of mantra to those of superior faculties] is presented in the passage “Therefore one should know that the mantra of the perfection of wisdom...svaha.”

Given that the perfection of wisdom contains the meaning of mantra (lit. “mind protection”), it is referred to here as a “mantra.” Its greatness is as follows: [the mantra] of “great knowledge, the unexcelled mantra, the mantra equal to the unequalled, the mantra that thoroughly quells all suffering,” and as it trains one in the [achievement of] one’s aspirations, “it must be recognized as the truth.” What is this mantra? “Tadyatha,” which, like the om, brings forth the subsequent words [of the mantra]. “Gaté gaté” means “go, go.” The first gaté indicates [to go on] the path of accumulation and the second to “Go on the path of preparation.” “Paragaté” means “Go on the path of seeing.” “Parasamgaté” means “Go perfectly on the other shore, the path of meditation.” “Bodhi svaha” means “Go perfectly to the great enlightenment and be firmly established.”

It is thought that as far as those trainees of higher faculties are concerned, they can understand the mode of training in the path on the basis of this mantra alone. So to underline this contrast to the trainees of inferior faculties, this has been called a “mantra.” It is, however, not a mantra in the sense of the four classes of tantra. Although the past Kadam masters have taught visualization of the image of the great mother [perfection of wisdom] and recitation of this mantra, they did not speak of visualizing oneself as the mother perfection of wisdom. Although some Tibetans conduct empowerment ceremonies of this, [they are mistaken for] the basis of practices [namely the perfection of wisdom and tantra] remains different.

Therefore, if one contemplates the meaning of the profound endowed with the four aspects and eight aspects and, while being mindful of the mode of treading the five paths, and after reciting this mantra if one exclaims the power of its truth and claps their hands, one will receive great waves of blessing. This is just like how, in the past, Indra was able to vanquish the forces of mara as a result of contemplating the meaning of this mantra.

EXHORTATION TO TRAIN BYMEANS OF SUMMARIZING THE SUBJECT MATTER

The third [the exhortation to train by means of summarizing the subject matter] is presented in the following passage: “Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva, the great being. Excellent!...” This is easy to understand.

The statement that not only our teacher but all the tathagatas rejoiced indicates Avalokiteshvara’s response and presents the teacher’s own enlightened intention.

THE ASSEMBLYMEMBERS’ DELIGHT AND THEIR PLEDGE TO UPHOLD

The fourth [the assembly members’ delight and their pledge to uphold this teaching] is presented in the passage “As the Blessed One uttered these words, the venerable Shariputra...rejoiced and hailed what the Blessed One had said.”

Of the three classes of scriptures—those that emerge through being given permissions, those that are inspired, and those that are verbally uttered—the prologue at the beginning and the expression of praise [at the end] are scriptures of permission. The dialogue in the middle is an inspired scripture, while the granting of affirmation to Avalokiteshvara is an uttered scripture.

Furthermore, this sutra is endowed with five perfect factors as well. The prologue presents the four perfect factors—teacher, time, place, and assembly—while up to the end of the queries and responses presents the perfect factor of teaching.

DEDICATION

Thus I utter:

As the creator of speech who is unexcelled in speech blessed the throats of beings like Holder of White Lotus 41 and Shariputra, a discourse such as this has emerged. How is this possible other than with the teachings of the able one?

By hearing it or focusing on it and through this, even if one gives the letters [of this to others] several times, it reveals what has been taught. This fortune to uphold the understanding at will is this very gift of the teacher.

Still, by following in the footsteps of the sublime father, and by seeking refuge in the meditation deities, may I continue to enjoy the fortune to partake in the celebrations of upholding the teachings of the Buddha.42

COLOPHON

This brief exposition of the meaning of the words of the Heart of Wisdom, made easy to understand, has been put into writing by the Dharma-speaking monk Jamyang Gawai Lodrö. This has been based on what appears to be the convergent [understanding] of Vimala’s extensive commentary, the summary composed by Ngok Lekshe, and the short commentary written by the highly learned Kamalashila,43 and also by ensuring that there is no contamination of self fabrications.

May through the force of uniting the pure aspirations of all those who have been associated with the work of printing this—the scriber Ngawang Chögyal of the Phukhang House of Drepung Loseling [Monastery] and those who have provided material facilities—all sentient beings swiftly attain the four bodies of a buddha.44

Sarvamangalam!

Notes

1 Buddhist Wisdom: The Diamond Sutra and The Heart Sutra. Translation and commentary by Edward Conze, preface by Judith Simmer-Brown (New York: Vintage Books, 2001), p. xxiii.

 2 For more on the use of the Heart Sutra to overcome obstacles, see Don ald S. Lopez, Jr., Elaborationson Emptiness: Uses of the Heart Sutra (Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press, 1998).

3 For a more detailed treatment of the twelve links, see His Holiness’ commentary in The Meaning of Life: Buddhist Perspectives on Cause and Effect. Translated and edited by Jeffrey Hopkins. (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2000).

4 The six primary afflictions are attachment, anger, pride, ignorance, afflicted views, and afflicted doubt. The twenty derivative afflictions are wrath, vengeance, spite, envy, and malice, which are derived from anger; miserliness, self-satisfaction, and mental excitement, which are derived from attachment; concealment, mental dullness, faithlessness, procrastination, forgetfulness, and inattentiveness, which are derived from ignorance; pretension, dishonesty, lack of shame, inconsideration of others, unconscientiousness, and distraction, which are derived from both attachment and ignorance.

5 Shantideva, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. See especially chapter 5.

6 Chatushatakashastrakarika, 8:15. For an alternative translation of this verse, see Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas: Gyel-tsap on Aryadeva’s Four Hundred by Geshe Sonam Rinchen (Ithaca: Snow Lion,1994).

7 The ten unwholesome actions are killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, slandering, harsh speech, idle speech, covetousness, ill will, and holding wrong views.

8 For a brief explanation of this sutra’s contextualization of the notion of identitylessness, see the section in chapter 9 entitled, “The Mind-only Interpretation.”

9 For more on this topic, see chapter 11.

10 For an authoritative translation of some of these foundational treatises, see The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha, translated by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995).

11 This translation of the Heart Sutra is from the Tibetan version, the edition used by H.H. the Dalai Lama for his discourse in Mountain View, California, in 2001. At that teaching a translation by John D. Dunne undertaken at the request of Wisdom Publications was printed in the program booklet. In this volume, however, I have chosen to provide my own translation so that the English version will be more consistent with the Dalai Lama’s commentary. In doing so, I have consulted Jamyang Galo’s brief commentary (see appendix) for introducing paragraph breaks to the Tibetan text to help with the flow in the English translation. In addition, I have consulted John D. Dunne’s translation and also Edward Conze’s much earlier English translation, which has held a special place in my heart for a long time.

12 In the Tibetan literary tradition, segment numbers are provided at the beginning of scriptures while the chapter titles are provided at the end. The Heart Sutra has only one segment. For comments on the Tibetan custom of dividing scriptures into segments, see pp. 66-67.

13 The eight mundane concerns are actually four polar pairs of concerns. To be defiled by them means to be motivated in any action by attachment to the first or fear of its opposite: gain and loss, pleasure and pain, renown and infamy, praise and blame.

14 According to Mahayana sutras, there are ten bodhisattva levels, beginning from the first instance when the bodhisattva attains direct insight into emptiness on the path of seeing. The original Sanskrit term bhumi literally means the “ground;” these levels are defined in terms of the progressive stages of advancement in the bodhisattva’s deepening insight into emptiness.

15 The six perfections (paramitas) are the trainings in generosity, ethical discipline, forbearance, joyous effort, concentration, and wisdom.

16 The three basic rites of a monastic community are (1) the bi-monthly confessional ceremonies, (2) the three-month rainy season retreat, and (3) the ending of the rainy season retreat.

17 Historically, the various traditions of Vinaya evolved from the four main divisions of the earliest Buddhist school, called Vaibhashika. The Theravada tradition—which today flourishes in countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Burma—and the Mulasarvastivada tradition of Vinaya practice followed by Tibetan Buddhism were two of those four subdivisions of the early Buddhist school. The Vinaya tradition practiced in Chinese Buddhism is that of the Dharmagupta School, a subset of one of the four Vaibhashika traditions. Furthermore, the Theravada Vinaya is based on the Patimokkha Sutta, the “individual liberation scripture,” found in the Pali language, while the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya tradition followed by Tibetan Buddhists is based on the Sanskrit version, the Pratimoksha Sutra. The Pali text enumerates 227 precepts for a fully ordained monk, whereas the list in the Sanskrit version is 253. This difference arises from the different way of listing the fifth class of secondary precepts. In the Pali tradition there are 75 on this list, while in the Sanskrit tradition there are 112.

18 Chandrakirti, Supplement to the Middle Way, 6:86. For an alternative translation of this verse, see C. W. Huntington, The Emptiness of Emptiness (Honolulu: University of Hawai’i, 1989). The Sanskrit word tirthikas refers here to the proponents of the non-Buddhist ancient Indian schools.

19 For a more extensive explanation of the relationship between causes and their effects, see Tsong-kha-pa, The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2000), pp. 209-14.

20 In order to uphold ethical norms of what to adopt and what to avoid, the Mind-only School developed a complex theory of how our perceptions of the world arise from propensities that exist naturally in us. Some texts mention as many as fifteen such propensities, but all of them are included in four primary propensities: (1) for perceiving and believing in an objective reality; (2) for perceiving similarities; (3) for unenlightened existence; and (4) for language. The Mind-only School asserts that these basic propensities arise from the imprints of our past habitual ways of seeing the world, and they govern our everyday experience.

For instance, when we look at a chair, we sense that “this object is a chair.” This perception embodies our propensity to see similarities. But not only does the object appear as a chair, it also appears as the basis of the word “chair.” This aspect of the perception manifests our propensity for language. Both of these aspects of our perception are valid. However, the third aspect of this perception is that the object is the referent of the term “chair” in an objective, substantial sense, as if the chair possessed an independent status. The Mind-only School argues that this propensity to believe in the objective existence of the chair is false. We can see from this that a single perceptual experience, such as looking at a chair, has different aspects, some of which are valid and some of which are invalid. The Mind-only School says that the valid aspects can serve as a basis for upholding the Buddha’s ethical teachings on what to adopt and what to avoid.

21 On the problems surrounding the identification of the scriptural source of this oft-quoted statement, see my note 15 in H. H. the Dalai Lama, The World of Tibetan Buddhism (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1994), p. 160.

22 This passage of the sutra is frequently cited in Tsongkhapa’s writings on the Middle Way view of emptiness.

23 In Vajrayana meditation practice, it is thus emphasized that when one meditates on emptiness within the context of deity yoga, it is important to choose a basis for one’s meditation. This basis can be the aspect of the mind that will retain its continuity throughout an individual’s lives until the attainment of enlightenment. The fact that the mind will continue on into the stage of enlightenment is one of the main reasons that the mind is often emphasized as the focus of emptiness meditation. This is also the case in other practices such as Mahamudra and Dzogchen, wherein the main focus of meditation on emptiness is one’s mind.

24 Nagarjuna, Fundamentals of the Middle Way, 24:8. For an alternative translation of this verse, see Frederick J. Streng, Emptiness: A Study in Religious Meaning (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1967), p.213.

25 Nagarjuna, Fundamentals of the Middle Way, 1:1-2.

26 For a detailed list and explanation of these eighteen elements, see H. H. the Dalai Lama, Opening the Eye of New Awareness (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1999), pp. 32-34.

27 Nagarjuna, Fundamentals of the Middle Way, 18:5. For an alternative translation, see Frederick J.Streng, op. cit., p. 204.

28 Tsongkhapa, In Praise of Dependent Origination, vv. 45-46. For an alternative translation, see Splendor of an Autumn Moon, trans. by Gavin Kilty (Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2001), p. 239.

29 Chapter 2 (“Pramanasiddhi”), verse 130b.

30 Shantideva, Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, 8:157. For an alternative translation, see Santideva, The Bodhicaryavatara (New York: Oxford University Press, 1996), p. 102.

31 The version of Jamyang Galo’s text upon which this translation has been based is a handwritten copy that was printed on stencil in Buxar by Drepung Loseling Monastery. This is also the same version in the PL480 collection of the Library of Congress, USA, where it is listed as No. 90-915034. Certain parts of this edition appear to suffer from corrupt spellings and, in a few cases, possible omissions. I shall identify those that I detect in my notes. However, until we locate a more reliable and preferably an earlier woodblock edition of the text, all my suggestions for correction must remain provisional.

32 In the Tibetan text, this heading appears here as “The assembly members’ delight and an advice (gdams pa) to uphold.” Later in the text where this section actually appears, it is listed as “their pledge (dam bca’ ba) to uphold.” This second spelling suits the author’s reading of that particular section of the Heart Sutra. So I think that the use of this word “advice” (gdams pa) here is either the scribe’s error or the author’s own oversight.

33 In the Tibetan text, this is followed by a heading, which reads “The third is” (gsum pa ni). This, I think, is an error for what follows in the text is most evidently an elaboration of the summary statement that immediately precedes.

34 This is a paraphrase of the Heart Sutra’s most well-known passage: “Form is emptiness; emptiness is form. Emptiness is not other than form; form is also not other than emptiness.”

35 This text is listed in Tengyur as An Exposition of the Heart of Wisdom Well Explained by Lekpai Sherap on the Basis of Supplication to the Master Dipamkara Shrijnana, Beijing 5222, Tohoku 3823.

36 The full title of Vimalamitra’s commentary is Extensive Exposition of the Heart of the Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Points, Beijing 5217, Tohoku 3818.

37 In the Tibetan text, on several occasions, the expression mnyam gzhag de’i gzigs ngor (within the perspective of such meditative equipoise) has been mistakenly written as mnyam gzhag de’i gzugs kyi ngor (on the surface of the form of the meditative equipoise), which does not appear to make sense.

38 This is probably a reference to the Sakya scholar Rongtön Shakya Gyaltsen (1367-1449). So far I have failed to locate Rongtön’s commentary on the Heart Sutra.

39 “Non-abiding nirvana” is an epithet for the Buddha’s nirvana of full awakening. It is so called because it does not abide in the extremes of both unenlightened, samsaric existence and that of the enlightened, isolated peace of individualistic nirvana.

40 They are (1) the “great mind,” which refers to the altruistic mind of the Buddha, (2) the “greatovercoming,” which refers to the overcoming of grasping at self-existence of persons and phenomena, and (3) the “great realization”—the uncontaminated, omniscient wisdom of the buddhas. They are listed in Maitreya’s Ornament of Clear Realizations as the “three great objectives” (ched du bya ba chen pogsum).

41 An epithet for the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara.

42 In the Tibetan text, the last line of this stanza reads nam yang ngoms pa med pa’i bshes gnyen dag. This appears to be either corrupted or, if correct, it suggests that there is at least one more subsequent stanza. This is an issue that cannot be resolved until we have access to another edition of the text. In the meantime, to make the sense complete, I have read the last line as nam yang ngoms pa med pa’i dpal thob shog.

43 Beijing 5221. The author of the Derge catalogue, Zhuchen Tsultrim Rinchen, lists this text as “said to be authored by Kamalashila.”

44 This is probably a note inserted by the scriber, the Drepung monk Ngawang Chögyal, himself. Unfortunately he does not tell us the edition of the text that he was copying this from, information that would have been most helpful for future editors.

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Tsongkhapa, The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Trans. by the Lamrim Translation Committee. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2000.

———. The Splendor of an Autumn Moon: The Devotional Verse of Tsongkhapa. Trans. and introduced by Gavin Kilty. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2001.

Index