The Explanation of the Meaning of the Verses for the Eight Auspicious Noble Ones
Composed by Mipham Rinpoche
I prostrate to Arya Manjushri!
The conditions for my writing these days are not the same as they have been previously, so I am not able to write as before, and I request your forgiveness that I am not able to write extensively about the benefits, and so forth, of the Eight Auspicious Ones, and that instead I will write something brief. As explained in the sutra called The Eight Noble Auspicious Ones, the Licchavi youth Suvikranta asked the Bhagavan to explain those buddhas that made collections of marvelous prayers in the past, so that if one listens to their names the fears and harms of humans and non-humans will cease to be, and if one expresses them they will be neither overcome nor conquered, and if one memorizes them then even when asleep will not dream evil dreams, and if one marks one’s body with them then while in battle one will not be struck and will become free from that into a blissful state. The Bhagavan explained that in the eastern direction of this world system there is the pureland called Endowed with Fame, and so forth,1 wherein dwell these eight buddhas, and he explained their names. When expressed individually they should be known to be as “To the bhagavan, tathāgata, arhat, perfectly enlightened buddha King of Illumination I prostrate, offer, and go for refuge,” and so forth. Here, the difference is that I merely arranged them into verse.
In the sutra, it says that by memorizing these names well and perfecting them you become endowed with good qualities beyond imagination. The purelands of these buddhas are devoid of the five degenerations, because of these buddhas’ former prayers. When going to sleep in the evening and also when getting up, you should contemplate on them. When you undertake any worldly activities whatsoever, should you first contemplate on these and thereafter begin, know that also there you will flourish, and that success will not decline. By expressing the enumeration of the phenomena of these eight auspicious ones all of the gods will be freed from their battles with the demi-gods. This follows because the recitation of these names is bliss, it is fearlessness, it is non-distraction, and it is a recitation that is totally enveloped by pure characteristics. Similarly, it is gone beyond warfare, it is unsubdued due to its brilliance, it is peace, it is non-torment, and it is an expression of perfect fearlessness.
Since it is said that, in general, even if for unimaginable eons you gave every support and necessity and food offerings that were like the food of the gods to many buddhas, simply hearing the names of these buddhas is of greater benefit, then what is the need to even mention the benefit should you, with respect, recite the names, make prostrations, construct statues, make offerings, and so forth? As the limitless benefits of hearing the mere names of these buddhas appear in multiple sutras, [you should make the determination,] “I will copy out the names of these buddhas as they are written 100,000 times, or however many is possible.”
Even Manjushri, and the other eight close sons of great enlightenment that appear in this are, in essence, buddhas. For as long as there are suffering beings they appear in the aspect of bodhisattvas so they can perform activities for the welfare of those wanderers. Therefore, from the expressions of the names of all the 300,000 buddhas, expressing the name of Manjushri has greater benefit, as explained in The Array of Virtues of Manjushri’s Pureland Sutra,2 and so forth. Even compared to reciting the names of as many buddhas as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges, reciting the name of Manjushri is greater benefit. Additionally, in the sutras and tantras it says there is also great benefit in similarly reciting the name of Vajrapani. The sutras also explain that to look upon the individual appearances of any of the eight bodhisattvas, the close sons, it brings about numerous states of astonishment. [Therefore, make the determination,] “I will collect together the expressions of the realizations into one, and then through their gazing upon this jewel necklace of the expressions of the realizations of the eight close sons, [those bodhisattvas] will grant their approval.” Then if one remembers these eight individual bodhisattvas along with their hand implements and mere names they will also perform auspiciousness, as clarified in some sutras and tantras.
As for the eight female bodhisattvas, although they have remained for all time in the aspect of goddesses who make offerings to all of the buddhas of the three times and cause them delight, they are in essence buddhas, and there is no difference, as explained in numerous tantras.
The eight close sons and the eight female bodhisattvas, and, according to tantra, the wrathful ones such as Yamari and the goddesses such as Gauri, merely appear with various and different attributes, manifestations and names. In the new translation schools they are the various gods such as the eight guardians of the gates of Heruka, the assorted male and female bodhisattvas of Guhyasamaja, the wrathful fathers and mothers in union of Yamantaka, and so forth, and in the Nyingma school they are the gods of the eight proclamations and the nine lamps of Yangdag, and so forth. As clarified in the tantras, all of these gods are various manifestations, but, as explained by Padmasambhava himself, they are all the same essence as the eight aspects of Guru Padmasambhava.
In this instance, the eight goddesses appear as the eight goddesses of auspiciousness, firstly because if you merely recollect any one from among all of them you receive good fortune and all of your troubles without exception are pacified. Specifically, the auspicious parasol goddess bestows the auspiciousness of pacifying all troubles of the sense objects. The golden fish goddess bestows the auspiciousness of clear sight, that of intelligence, and that of physical bliss. The vase goddess bestows the auspiciousness of inexhaustible pleasures and that of inexhaustible dharma melodies in your throat. The lotus goddess bestows the auspiciousness of a tongue that propounds, that of an attractive body, and that of not being stained by immoral acts. The conch goddess bestows the auspiciousness of beautiful teeth, that of great fame, and that of eliminating all infectious diseases. The glorious knot goddess bestows the auspiciousness of fulfilling all of your wishes and that of increasing intelligence. The victory banner goddess bestows the auspiciousness of great luster of the skin, and that of total and complete victory and exaltation and so forth. The wheel goddess bestows the auspiciousness of having domination over all, and that of the hands and feet, and that of suppressing all arguments made by others. These points are all established by previous quotations.
As for the three, Brahma, Ishvara and Vishnu,3 they are emanations of the three vajras of the buddhas, as explained in the Guhyasamaja Tantra. It is taught that they are the lords of the three families, Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani, in the aspects of worldly protectors, and are in that aspect, moreover, to protect the words and doctrine of the Buddha. These three are the kings of all worldly protectors. As for Indra,4 lord of the gods, he is the protector of those who see the truth of the speech of the Buddha, the protector of the doctrine of the Buddha, the overseer of all those on the white side, the king of the gods of the heaven of the thirty-three, and he perceives all humans and is an ally for those on the side of virtue.
The four great kings are bodhisattvas who abide on the eighth ground. These four are primarily entrusted with the protection of the doctrine of the Buddha. They increase all fortune, virtue and goodness in the realms under the ground, on the ground and above the ground—in the three grounds, or, the three worlds. Having depended on the glorious power of these four chiefs all worldly happiness and fortune is bestowed.
So then, here, the “eight auspicious ones” are seen as every single god of the mandala without any exception, the eight tathāgatas, the eight bodhisattvas, the eight female bodhisattvas who are the auspicious goddesses, and the eight worldly protectors. If you recite the text knowing that, and you pay respect, then, all misdeeds and obscurations will be pacified and it is inevitable that you will receive all of the good qualities of higher rebirth and the definitive excellence of enlightenment and everything that you might desire. Why is that the case? It is because here, the valid being, the Buddha Bhagavan himself, from among all of the collections of sutra and all of the collections of tantra, extolled the gods in this teaching.
In any realm where these eight buddhas are currently, they will remain and bring prosperity. Although those who desire the bestowal of auspiciousness praise to a greater or lesser extent the names of these eight auspicious ones, in truth they are not of any different essence than all of the buddhas. As explained in The Questions of Magician Bhadra Sutra,5“Bhadra, if you make an offering to just one victor, you are making an offering to all the buddhas of the ten directions, because the sphere of their dharma and that of my own are never different objects. When you give an offering thus, you offer to all and the result is greater. They all obtained the same ultimate reality, hence all of the buddhas have no difference of object.”
Colophon: This mere condensed explanation that has simply fallen before your eyes for the time being was written by Mipham. May virtue and goodness increase!
Translator’s Colophon: This text (Tib. bkra shis brgyad pa’i don bshad pa) was translated by Shakya Gelong Gyalten Lekden, one of scant knowledge, during the waxing of the first moon of the year of the Fire Monkey, February 2016, at Sera Je Monastery. I beg forgiveness for any mistakes, and dedicate any merit that arises due to this translation to our precious gurus, that they may manifest long and healthy lives, leading thick-headed sentient beings such as myself to perfect, complete enlightenment.
Notes
1. King of Illumination’s buddhafield is Endowed with Fame; Intention to Accomplish Aims with Steadfast Power’s buddhafield is Without Sorrow; Greatly Renowned as Consideration for All’s buddhafield is Endowed with Happiness; Glorious Adornment of Loving Kindness’s buddhafield is Without Obstacles; Supremely Glorious One Renowned for Virtue’s buddhafield is Dispelling Annihilation; Glorious Renown that is Valour as Noble as Mount Meru’s buddhafield is Possessed of Diversity; Glorious Renown that is Consideration for All Sentient Beings’s buddhafield is Glorious Blazing; Glorious Renown that is Valour Which Causes Contentment’s buddhafield is Famous Vajra Endowed with Joy. Note that the order of the buddhas listed here, as they are listed in the original sutra, is slightly different than the sequence Mipham enlists in his prayer.
2. This is a chapter from the Great Jewel Heap Sutra. Tib: ‘jam dpal zhing gi yon tan bkod pa’i mdo; Skt: mañjuśrībuddhakṣetraguṇavyuūhasūtra.
3. In the prayer itself Mipham references Brahma as Mahabrahma, Shiva as Shambhu, or Source of Bliss, and Vishnu as Narayana, or Son of Non-Craving.
4. Referred to in the prayer as Sahasraksha, or Thousand-Eyed One
5. This is a chapter from the Great Jewel Heap Sutra, which is usually listed with the title The Prophecy for Magician Bhadra Sutra Tib: sgyu ma mkhan bzang po lung bstan pa; Skt: bhadramāyākāra vyākaraṇa.