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Etienne Lamotte Suramgamasamadhisutra The Concentration of Heroic Progress An Early Mahayana Buddhist Scripture The Buddhist scripture containing teachings ETIENNE LAMOTTE (1903-1983), a major that bestow heroic progress on the path to figure in the field of Buddhist Studies, was Enlightenment the author of Histoire du bouddhisme indien, The Suramgamasamddhisutra is an early des origines a Vere Saka, (Louvain 1958); he Mahayana Buddhist scripture. Within a has also translated the Samdhinirmocanasutm, narrative framework provided by a the Karmasiddhiprakara7ia the Vimalakirti- y dialogue between the Buddha and the nirdesasutra, Asariga's Mahdydnasamgraha, bodhisattva Drdhamati, it airs central issues and the 5-volume commentary by of Mahayana Buddhism by means of Nagarjuna on the Prajndpdramitdsutra, Le philosophical discussion, edifying anecdote, Traite de la grande vertu de sagesse de Nagarjuna. marvellous feat, and drama. At its core is Sara Boin-Webb is the official translator a description of the seeming conversion of Lamotte's work. Her success is attested of Mara, the embodiment of all malign by the publication of her English-language tendencies that obstruct advancement, and renderings of Lamotte's Vimalakirtinirdesa the prediction that he too will become a (The Teaching of Vimalakirti, London 1976) Buddha. and Histoire du bouddhisme indien (History of Concentration, samddhi, is understood Indian Buddhism, Louvain 1988), as well as to denote the altered mental states several other works from the French. Her attainable through Buddhist meditation translation of the above-mentioned techniques, in particular that in which commentary on the Prajndpdramitdsutra discursive thought is allayed, the mind is awaits publication. She is Assistant Editor calm and is capable of sustained awareness of Buddhist Studies Review. of a single object. Andrew Skilton is a post-doctoral The present volume comprises the first Research Fellow at Cardiff University, full English translation Kumarajiva's working on Mahayana literature, including Chinese translation of the Suramgamasamd the Samddhirdjasutra. He has published A dhisutra, with an extensive explanatory Concise History of Buddhism (1994) and introduction and annotations. Lamotte's Santideva's Bodhicarydvatdra (1996). French version appeared in 1965 and now Sara Boin-Webb's English rendering of that gives the English speaking world access both to an important Buddhist scripture and also to a classic work of Buddhist Studies scholarship. Cover illustration : The transmission of Buddhist teachings from India to China Pilgrim monk carrying sutras Painting on silk Dunhang, IXth century Musee des Arts asiatiques-Guimet, Paris © Photo RMN - Ravaux Cover designed by Bruno Pfaffli SURAMGAMASAMADHISUTRA The Concentration of Heroic Progress SCHRAMGAMASAMADHISUTRA The Concentration of Heroic Progress An Early Mahayana Buddhist Scripture Translated and Annotated by ETIENNE LAMOTTE English Translation by SARA BOIN-WEBB MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED • DELHI First Edition:Delhi, 2003 Published by arrangement with the CurzonPress, U.K. First Edition: London, 1998 €) French annotated translation by Etienne Lamotte first appeared as IM Concentration de la march herdique, in Volume XTII Melanges chinois et bouddhiques, published by the Institut beige des hautes Etudes Chinoises, Brussels, 1965. © 1998 English translation, Sara Boin-Webb All right reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form of by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. ISBN: 81-208-1931-4 (Cloth) Also available at: MOTILAL BANARSIDASS 41 U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi 110 007 8 Mahalaxmi Chamber, 22 Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 026 236, 9th Main III Block, Jayanagar, Bangalore 560 011 120 Royapettah High Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004 Sanas Plaza, 1302 Baji Rao Road, Pune 411 002 8 Camac Street, Kolkata 700 017 Ashok Rajpath, Patna 800 004 Chowk, Varanasi 221 001 Printed in India BYJAINENDRA PRAKASH JAIN AT SHRIJAINENDRA PRESS, A-45 NARAINA, PHASE-I, NEW DELHI 110 028 AND PUBLISHED BYNARENDRA PRAKASH JAIN FOR MOTILAL BANARSIDASS PUBLISHERS PRIVATE LIMITED, BUNGALOW ROAD, DELHI 110 007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction from the Technical Editor viii Preface to the original French edition x Foreword to the English edition xi Note from the English Translator xvii Acknowledgements xviii Abbreviations and Bibliography xix INTRODUCTION Chapter One THE SURAMGAMASAMADHISUTRA 1 I. The text 1 II. Setting and persons 3 III. The subject: Concentration 11 1. Samadhi in the Sravaka or Small Vehicle 11 2. Samadhi in the Great Vehicle 22 IV. Historical background of the Sutra 39 V. Sources of the Sutra 53 Chapter Two THE CHINESE AND TIBETAN VERSIONS 56 I. Translation by Chih Ch'an 59 II & III. Ssu-chuan translations 65 IV. Translation by Chih Ch'ien 66 V. Translation by Po Yen 72 VI. Translation by Dharmaraksa 74 Commentary by Po Yuan 80 VII. Translation by Chu Shu-Ian 81 VIII. Combined edition by Chih Min-tu 85 Commentary by Hsieh Fu 90 IX. Translation by Chih Shih-lun 90 X. Translation by Kumarajiva 94 Commentary by Shih Hung-ch'ung 97 XI. Additional Note 98 XII. Tibetan translation 99 Concordance of the translations of the Suramgamasamadhisutra....l04 TABLE OF CONTENTS SURAMGAMASAMADHISUTRA Introduction 107 The Most Excellent Concentration 109 The Heroic Progress 113 The Offering of a Throne 114 The Multiplication of the Buddhas 116 Unreality and Identity of the Tathagatas 117 The Hundred Aspects of the Heroic Progress 119 The Heroic Progress and Good Dharmas 127 The Heroic Progress and the Perfections 128 1. Ddnapdramitd 128 2. Sllapdramitd 128 3. Ksdntipdramitd 129 4. Viryapdramitd 130 5. Dhydnapdramitd 131 6. Prajndpdramitd 133 Liberating Action of the Heroic Progress 135 Instantaneous and Simultaneous Practice of the Perfections 137 Gradual Training in the Heroic Progress 138 Secrets and Mysteries of Merusikharadhara 150 Gopaka's Devotion and Change of Sex 154 Multiple Appearance of a Bodhisattva in the Heroic Progress 159 Various Transformations of the Assembly 161 Necessity of Acquiring the Heroic Progress 162 Philosophical Discussion 164 1. The Practice of the Heroic Progress 164 2. The End Result of the Heroic Progress 164 3. The Nirvana of the Buddhas 165 4. The Absence of a Base 166 5. The Bodhisattva's Eloquence 167 Revelations Concerning the Devaputra *Matyabhimukha 168 Mara Tied with the Five Bonds 172 The Twelve Bonds of False Views 173 The Virtue of the Name 174 Bondage and Deliverance 174 Conversion of the Daughters of the Gods 175 Self-interested Conversion of Mara 176 Conversion of the Lustful Devakanyas 177 Further Guile of Mara 178 Prediction to Mara 179 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Four Kinds of Prediction 179 1. Anutpaditabodhicittavyakarana 182 2. Utpaditabodhicittavyakarana 184 3. Rahovyakarana 187 4. Anutpattikadharmaksantilabdhasammukhavyakarana. 188 Bodhisattvas Having Received the Prediction 189 Prediction Conferred on the Daughters of the Gods 191 Fallacious Departure of Mara 192 Respective Value of Offerings to the Buddha 193 Exploits of Maragocaranupalipta in the Heroic Progress 196 Exploits of the Buddha in the Heroic Progress 197 Extension of the Heroic Progress to Other World Systems 198 Faith in the Heroic Progress 200 The Field of Merit 204 The Truly Learned 208 Prediction to Vimalacandragarbha 211 Provisional Nature of Pratyekabodhi 212 Manjusri's Fictitious Nirvana 214 Exploits of the Bodhisattvas in the Heroic Progress 216 Superiority of the Offender over the Holy One 222 Two Hundred Discouraged Bodhisattvas Obtain the Ten Powers ...223 Why and How to Practise the Heroic Progress 225 Maitreya in the Heroic Progress 227 Manjusri Identical to the Buddha Nagavamsagra 229 Appearance of the Buddhas of the Ten Regions 232 Protection Assured to the Heroic Progress 233 Identity of the Buddhas Sakyamuni and Vairocana 235 The Wonderful Effects of the Heroic Progress 238 1. Longevity and Security 238 2. Twenty Inconceivable Virtues 239 3. Reaching Enlightenment 239 4. Confident Faith 240 Final Conversions 241 Synopsis of formulas and stock phrases 243 Index 245 INTRODUCTION from the Technical Editor The Suramgamasamddhisutra (Sgs) is an early Mahayana Buddhist scripture. It is ancient, composed anonymously, close to the beginning of the first millenium. It was one of the very first Mahayana scriptures to be transmitted to China, where we know its first translation was published in 186 C.E. Because of its popularity the Sgs was translated a further nine times, and the last of these, made by the great translator Kumarajiva at the very beginning of the fifth century C.E., survives to form a part of the modern Chine'se Buddhist canon. The other major translation of the Sgs was made into Tibetan at the beginning of the ninth century. The Suramgamasamadhisutra (The Concentration of Heroic Progress), the first full English translation of Kumarajiva's text, is a welcome addition to the growing library of English language versions of Buddhist scriptures. Lamotte's French version was published in 1965, and now with the publication of Sara Boin-Webb's translation of that the English speaking world has direct access both to an important scriptural text and also to a classic work of Buddhist Studies. Direct comparison can now be made with The Teaching of Vimalaklrti, the English version of Lamotte's treatment of the Vimalaklrtinirdesa, to which the present work was conceived as the companion volume. The title of the text describes in brief its subject. The Suramgamasamadhisutra is the scripture that contains teachings concerning the samadhi that bestows an 'heroic progress', suramgama, on the path to Enlightenment. Samadhi is traditionally understood to denote the altered mental states attainable through meditation techniques, in particular the mental state in which discursive thought is allayed and the mind is calm, concentrated and capable of sustained awareness of a single object, hence 'concentration'. As an integral part of this technology of altered consciousness, samadhi is also understood to bestow power upon the practitioner - not just the power of spiritual insight, but also of magical feat and transformation - and it is this theme which most incited the* imagination of Mahayana Buddhists to produce an array of 'Mahayana samadhis', each accredited with special magical powers of spiritual advancement. As Lamotte explains in his Introduction, he understands the Sgs to be concerned with just such a specific meditative state that is or gives 'heroic progress'. The §gs is one of a small group of Mahayana sutras that teach IX specific, named 'samadhis'. Only one other text from this group is published in English translation - the Pratyutpannasutra (see Bibliography). Others in this genre are the Samadhirajasiitra, the Prasantaviniscayapratiharyasamadhisiitra, and the Kuan ch 'a chu fa hsing ching (T.649). The Sgs is not just an object for study and comparison, but was surely composed to be enjoyed, seeking to entertain as it edifies. Nor must we forget that for the community of Buddhist practitioners, to which this text truly belongs, "The sutras only ask to be believed, remembered, repeated, expounded and put into practice" (p.41). For this English translation the index has been expanded, the bibliography revised and supplemented, and minor typographic errors of the French edition corrected. Andrew Skilton, Cardiff