Derge Kangyur/Tengyur e-text, Esukhia/Barom edition — public domain (mechanical reproduction)
This commentary on the Devātiśayastotra (Praise of the One Who Supersedes the Gods) serves as a polemical defense of the Buddha's spiritual supremacy over the Hindu pantheon. The author argues that the traditional Vedic deities, including Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śakra, are unfit for worship because they exhibit erratic, 'mad' behavior, are driven by pride and desire, and cause harm to sentient beings. By contrasting the flawed conduct and mythological failures of these gods—such as the chaotic events surrounding the churning of the Ocean of Milk and the erratic behavior of Maheśvara—with the Buddha's complete liberation from afflictions and his compassionate commitment to benefiting others, the text asserts that only the Buddha possesses the valid cognition and equanimity necessary to be a true teacher. The reader is committed to a worldview where the Buddha is the sole locus of all qualities, rendering the worship of worldly deities irrational and spiritually futile.
Provenance
About this text
An extensive explanation of the Devātiśayastotra, or Praise of the One Surpassing the Gods, this work belongs to the classical Tibetan tradition. The author, Prajñāvarman, provides an analysis of a praise composed by Śaṅkarasvāmin, who describes the Lord of Sages as the one most excellent among gods. The text was translated into Tibetan by Jarāndana and zhu chen gyi lo tsa ba dge slong rin chen bzang po. It is preserved in the Tengyur, volume ཀ, where it spans 33 pages and is situated within the Eulogy collection. The work argues for the spiritual supremacy of the Buddha over the Hindu pantheon, contrasting the Buddha's perfection of wisdom and abandonment of afflictions with the nature of deities such as Viṣṇu and Brahmā. By analyzing terms like Sugata and Viṣṇu, the author asserts that the Buddha is the sole locus of all qualities, whereas the Vedic gods are driven by pride and desire. A scholar or serious reader consults this text today to examine the polemical defense of the Buddha's superiority and the specific arguments used to characterize the flaws of the traditional Hindu deities in contrast to the Buddha's compassionate commitment to benefiting others.
Sanskrit title
Devātiśayastotraṭīkā
Indian author
Prajñāvarman
Tibetan translators
Jarāndana, zhu chen gyi lo tsa ba dge slong rin chen bzang po
Cite thisAnuvāda, “Commentary on “Praise of the One Who Supersedes the Gods”” (Toh 1113), machine draft, 2026.https://naxiai.com/tibetan/works/toh1113
Summary & commentary
Significance
The work is significant for its use of Hindu mythology to construct a hierarchy of spiritual authority, positioning Buddhist enlightenment above the powers of the gods. For the modern reader, it illustrates the historical intellectual competition between Buddhist and Brahmanical traditions in India and Tibet.
Structure
Passages
Section
Description
1-4
Introduction and Definitions
Opening homage and definitions of terms such as Sugata and Viṣṇu.
5-23
Critique of the Deities
Narratives regarding the gods' failures, erratic behaviors, and the 'madness' of Maheśvara and Brahmā.
27-45
The Superiority of the Buddha
Analysis of the Buddha's liberation, his compassion, and the reasons why he is the only valid refuge compared to non-Buddhist teachers.
Themes
The Fallibility of Gods (5-19, 23, 35-38, 43)
Buddha as the Supreme Teacher (27, 34, 39-42, 44-45)
Liberation from Afflictions (27, 39)
Summary, significance and provenance note generated by gemma4:31b from the translation and the catalogue record.
AnuvādaCommentary on “Praise of the One Who Supersedes the Gods”·
In the language of India: Devātiśayastotraṭīkā. In the language of Tibet: Lha las phul du byung bar bstod pa’i rgya cher ’grel pa. Homage to the Blessed One, Mañjuśrī Kumārabhūta.
Having prostrated with faith and devotion to the Teacher who is the most excellent among gods and the embodiment of peace, I shall analyze the Praise to the One Most Excellent Among Gods to the best of my ability.
Thus, it is heard: There were two brothers, Bhaṭṭārakaghoṣa and Śaṅkarapati, who were born into the brahmin caste, devoted to their own ancestral rites and possessing supreme faith in Maheśvara. Likewise, they had mastered all the treatises. Then, they thought to themselves: "As long as we have not seen the Great God himself face-to-face and have not received his oral instructions, we shall not perform even the slightest root of virtue." Having made this vow, they went to Mount Kailash. Upon arriving there, they encountered the Great God who was diligently offering alms to the community of Arhats. From him, they were taught that the Buddha, the Blessed One, is the supreme teacher of the three realms. Having gained certainty, they entered the Buddha's teaching and relied upon it. Therein, Bhaṭṭārakaghoṣa praised the Buddha, the Blessed One, with the Praise of the Exalted One.
Śaṅkarasvāmin has composed a praise of the Lord of Sages using the Devātiśayastotra (Praise of the One Surpassing the Gods). Now, in order to begin the extensive explanation of that Devātiśayastotra, the introductory statement of that explanation is spoken: "The Buddha, the Blessed One," and so forth.
If one were to compose a praise of the Victorious One here based solely on his possessing the most excellent qualities, other opponents might think: "This is merely following out of faith; it is not authentic." Therefore, he speaks by relying on reasoning. Since that Teacher who is superior to sentient beings is not currently seen by direct perception, nor is there the knowledge of a yogi [to perceive him], he is not an object of direct perception. Nevertheless, through inference, it is renowned that there are two types of teachers in the three worlds: among ordinary worldly people, Brahmā and others are renowned as teachers; among noble beings who possess realization, the Buddha, the Blessed One, is renowned as the teacher.
In this context, because these [teachers] are not seen by direct perception, the term "not an object of direct perception" is used. This means that the Lord of Sages is not perceived directly, and Brahmā and the others are also not seen without obscuration. "Blessed One" (Bhagavān) refers to one who has conquered the enemies of the afflictions along with their habitual tendencies; therefore, he is the "Blessed One."
This explains the perfection of abandonment. The term "Sugata" (Well-Gone) refers to one who has perfectly realized the meaning without error; thus, it demonstrates the perfection of wisdom. "Viṣṇu" is so called because he pervades through various modes of conquest; he is called such because he traverses the three worlds. It is said that Brahmā was born from his navel lotus, and from him, other beings were also born. Maheśvara is called "The Seizer" because he gathers in all beings; he is held to be the progenitor and creator of beings, as it is famously said that he emits this world and also withdraws it. "Brahmā" is the one born from a golden womb, the Lord of Creatures. Regarding this, it is said: "First, water was emanated; into that, a seed was cast; that became a golden egg; from that, Brahmā was born." Because he was born from a golden-natured egg in the manner of a womb, he is called "Golden Essence" or "Golden Womb." Thus, since these four are not directly perceived by all worldly beings, they are hidden; and since the realization of hidden objects must depend upon inference, the phrase "of those" is mentioned.
Thus, the form of those four consists of their color and shape; their attire and conduct are their activities, which are their supreme power. Their qualities are those that are distinguished by meditative absorption (samādhi). Examine and understand these, and think: "Alas! Among those who have entered the teaching of the Sugata, who here possesses such qualities?" In this way, one should eliminate any biased hostility. This is the summarized meaning.
Regarding the various forms, it is said: "Viṣṇu," and so forth. Viṣṇu, who holds the discus, wields beautiful weapons and the like; he appears as Viṣṇu, terrifying and formidable. This is what was heard: when the gods and asuras were at enmity over the theft of the nectar (amṛta), and the asuras desired to strike them but were unable to do so because they lacked weapons, Bṛhaspati said to the gods: "The son of the great sage Prācetas, named Śakuni, has remained in asceticism for seventy million years. His bones have become vajras. If you take those bones and make them into weapons, you will be able to conquer the three worlds. Therefore, beg him and use those weapons to destroy the asuras." The gods then supplicated and entreated that sage. To benefit them, he allowed them to lick his body.
He reduced them to nothing but bones and gave them to them. Then, Viśvakarman fashioned a vajra from the ribs, which Śakra took. He fashioned a staff from the bones of the thighs, which Viṣṇu took. Viśvakarman’s daughter, named Reṇukā, was sought after by Āditya. Because she had become a form that concentrated splendor, she could not bear his brilliance; thus, she did not wish to enjoy or play with her husband. Other daughters of kumbhāṇḍas and other daughters of gods were also unable to endure Āditya’s brilliance, so they fled and stayed in their fathers’ homes. When their fathers rebuked them, they became weary and, having taken the form of mares, they lived practicing austerities in the midst of the mountain valleys of Mount Ti-se.
When Āditya went searching for his wife and heard that news, he went there and transformed himself into the form of a horse to mount her. She said, "No other man shall conceive a child in my womb." Āditya laughed, revealed his own form, and said, "The child conceived is from me." When he was expelled from her nose, he became the two Aśvins, the sons of the Aśvinī. When Viśvakarman heard that news, he said to Āditya, "If you can endure the sensation, I shall make your form beautiful; but when it becomes especially unbearable and painful, I shall release you." He agreed, saying, "I shall do so." Then Viśvakarman threw him to the ground, divided him into twelve parts with a wheel, and ground him down to the ankles.
He cast it upon the earth. From that time on, it became renowned as the "Sun with Unrubbed Feet." Then, Viṣṇu gathered those fragments and fashioned them into a wheel; because it blazed so intensely, it was named "Beautiful to Behold." Śakra gave it to Viṣṇu, and when Rāhu stole and drank the amṛta, Viṣṇu severed his head with that wheel. Because it appeared to blaze intensely upon touching the body of the asura, it was also named "Beautiful to Behold."
The one called Mahādeva is Śaṅkara. Because he brings about well-being (sukha) from this, he is called "Sukha"; for it is through Mahādeva that the entire world attains well-being. Regarding the phrase "adorned with garlands of human skulls," it refers to his sporting and playing. It is famously told that, being freed from the sin of harming brahmins, he rejoices and dances naked with a thousand arms every day before the entire assembly of gods at a great charnel ground in the city called Ujjayinī.
The two asura brothers named Sunda and Upasunda were like a hailstorm of enemies to the gods. In order to slay them, the gods emanated a divine maiden named Tilottamā, created from a collection of portions of the gods' own splendor. When Brahmā saw her as she prostrated, his mind was captivated by her form, and he manifested four faces in the four directions.
Above, he grew a head together with a neck. Thinking, "If this great god were to know the lineage from which I arose, and if he were to speak of the lineage from which I, this great god, arose, I would be put to shame before the gods," it is said that he cut it off with his fingernails. Because he had thus destroyed and harmed the brahmin, he became tormented; he took up the ascetic observances of wearing a human skull from among the gods, dwelling in charnel grounds, smearing himself with the ashes of cremated corpses, wearing a raw elephant hide, making offerings at the junctions of the day, and dancing every day before gods and spirits. Therefore, because he was adorned with a garland of ornaments connected to human skulls that were extremely terrifying, he is called by that name. "Utterly peaceful" means supremely peaceful. "Excellence in conduct" refers to possessing stainless and faultless enlightened activities of the body and so forth; as it is said in the sūtras: "The enlightened activity of the Tathāgata’s body is utterly pure," and so on. Therefore, one who possesses such conduct of complete pacification is the Buddha, the Blessed One. As it is said: "The Blessed One, being free from desire, shows his very body to be so; from a tree that is hollow inside and contains fire, green sprouts do not emerge." Should one make offerings to him, or rather to Viṣṇu and...?
You should ask yourself: why do you worship those such as Brahmā and Maheśvara, who possess conduct like that of a madman and are not at peace? If you ask, "Is it only their wielding of weapons that is censured in these gods, or only their performing dances and the like?" it is for that reason that the passage beginning with "Viṣṇu..." is stated. Furthermore, Viṣṇu destroyed the lineage of those such as Duryodhana. For instance, Viṣṇu asked Duryodhana, "Did you take the eighteen divisions of the army, or did you take the god of wealth alone?" When he replied, "I took the divisions of the army," Viṣṇu became hostile. Viṣṇu then took the side of the Pāṇḍavas and set out for the battlefield. Arjuna looked all around and said, "I am unable to kill my own kinsmen. How can I kill those very kinsmen for whose sake I desire to obtain the kingdom?" Thus Arjuna turned back from the fight. Viṣṇu then said:
"You are a fool. Both he who kills a man and he who is killed—neither of these two is perceived; there is no killer and no killing. Those with perfect lineage and discipline, brahmins, cattle, elephants, dogs, and outcasts—the wise regard them as equal."
Having taught many such verses of nihilistic view and having deceived him by displaying various forms, [he acted].
Arjuna himself acted as the charioteer and, by engaging in battle, destroyed the eighteen divisions of the army of the difficult-to-conquer Kṣatriya clan. When the king named Rūpāti, together with one division of his army, was fighting, he fled in the guise of a woman and entered the mountain retreats of the Snowy Mountains; from the clan that settled there, the land is even today renowned as "Tibet."
Having stolen the calf of Nandaka, the king named Ugrasena, in his wrath, cut off a thousand hands and eliminated the Kṣatriyas from the face of the earth twenty-one times. In the place called Kurukṣetra, he filled five hundred moats, each five leagues in extent, with the blood of the Kṣatriyas and performed ancestral libations for his deceased forefathers.
The divine maiden named Rambhā took the form of a mare and wandered about during the day, but at night she lay with the king named Śatadhanvan. When Viṣṇu heard this news, he demanded the mare from the king. Terrified, the king sought refuge with Arjuna. When Viṣṇu and Arjuna engaged in a great battle, Arjuna’s arrows stripped Viṣṇu’s body of its flesh. Viṣṇu then cut off Arjuna’s head with his discus and seized the mare. Upon touching Viṣṇu’s body, the mare was freed from the curse of the sage who had previously turned her into a mare, and she departed for the celestial realm. Śakra arrived, poured nectar upon him, and restored his son Arjuna to life.
Balin was the maternal uncle of Rāvaṇa. Someone said to Rāvaṇa, "Since your uncle is bound beneath the earth, what use is your kingdom?" Driven by the power of pride, thinking, "I am the one who conquers the three worlds," and with a great army, he entered the subterranean realm to liberate Balin. At that time, Viṣṇu was sleeping upon the hood of the serpent Śeṣa. The goddess Lakṣmī, having been made to suffer, awakened him with her lamentations. Once awakened, Viṣṇu blew Rāvaṇa and his retinue into the air like flies for a hundred leagues. Then, drawing them back in with his breath, he made them as weak as a thread. Thinking, "Since this is a boon granted by Brahmā, I must not kill him," he released him. Furthermore, one should recount how, through the stratagem of abducting Sītā, he utterly destroyed the lineage of Rāvaṇa and so forth.
As for Mahādeva, he is Maheśvara. Regarding his destruction of the city of Tripura: the asuras dwelling in the city of Tripura greatly agitated the three worlds. When the gods offered prayers, Maheśvara attempted to avert the calamity, but they were unwilling to be turned back. He became enraged, took up his great bow, and burned the city of Tripura with a three-pointed arrow. Thus it is said that Mahādeva destroyed the city of Tripura.
In that way, because the city of Triśaṅku was destroyed and demolished, it is said that the city of Triśaṅku was destroyed. The word "it is said" (grag) means that this was heard from those who proclaim various accounts in the world. As for "Kṛśānu," this refers to the youth Kārttikeya. Because he struck the mountain Krauñca with a sharp, firm, and unimpeded short spear, his maternal uncle was killed. Regarding this, it is heard as follows: Krauñca had become the maternal uncle of Kṛśānu. At a time when the asura named Tāraka was greatly afflicting the gods, the gods petitioned Śakra. He then commanded the god of desire: "Great God, by whatever means you abandon your asceticism and enjoy yourself with Umā for a thousand divine years, making it seem as if only a single day has passed, you must thus delude him. At that time, the gods will fear and be apprehensive, thinking, 'If a son of great power is born from this, he might become our slave.' Therefore, in order to create an obstacle to their sexual union, the god of fire (Agni) was sent. He manifested in the form of a pigeon and went there. Upon seeing him, the Great God became enraged and poured his semen into the god of fire. The god of fire was burned, and he went to the ocean, staying in a thicket of reeds out of shame. Kṛttikā also entered the ocean for a bath during the late winter and became cold as she was submerged."
Seeing that he was ablaze, she approached him, and through that warm touch, she conceived a child. He was born in pieces, and when placed in a vessel, he became the youth Skanda. Each of the Kṛttikās said, "This is my son; this is my daughter," and they offered him their breasts. To please his mothers, he displayed six faces. Then, the Great God (Mahādeva), possessing great wealth, took him home and performed the birth rites. The gods then took him to the banks of the consecration waters and empowered him as a general.
Although he waged war against the asura Tāraka for a thousand divine years, they were unable to kill him. He then petitioned Umā, saying, "Give me the spear of the flesh-eaters." She gave it to him, and with that weapon of Skanda, he slew the asura Tāraka. When his army divisions were defeated and found no suitable refuge, they thought, "One must not transgress the word of one's maternal uncle," and so they took refuge with his maternal uncle, the crane (Krauñca).
Skanda sent a messenger to the crane, saying, "The custom of kings is that the remnants of an enemy must not be tolerated; therefore, release my enemy, the asura Tāraka’s army." The crane thought, "It is improper to utterly abandon those who have come for refuge," and so he did not release them. As it is said: "Those who have just grasped a blade of grass, even if the entire mass of grass is cut away..."
"If even those who seize or fall together [into the fray] are thus, what need is there to mention those possessed of minds?" Thus it was said. Thinking, "In that case, I shall take [the enemy] by force," he engaged in battle; it is said that he struck and killed his own maternal uncle, Krauñca, with a spear and seized his army. To demonstrate that the Buddha, the Blessed One, does not possess such conduct, the words "the Buddha" and so forth are spoken. The Buddha alone is the benefactor of wandering beings; he acts for the sake of the needs of sentient beings. Because he delights in the welfare of others, that very conduct is the behavior of the sublime ones, and since he possesses that very conduct, he is so called. To demonstrate that all misdeeds without exception arise from distorted conceptualization, the words "by me" and so forth are spoken. Regarding the phrase "the one to be harmed," this refers to an enemy who is to be harmed, as it is said: "I have acted harshly toward the harsh; I see no fault in that." This is like what Viṣṇu did to Śiśupāla and others. Regarding "the one to be protected," this is like how Viṣṇu protected the Pāṇḍavas and others. Regarding "the one to be killed," this means one who is to be slain, such as the asuras Suvarṇāsanaka and others. Regarding "of the supreme gods," this refers to those renowned as powerful gods, such as Viṣṇu and others.
The phrase "it is the system" means that it is the very action to be performed. As for the Buddha, the Blessed One, he has no enemies to be slain, because he possesses great compassion. He has no one to be deceived, because he has no rival who could deceive him through artifice; rather, he is solely devoted to the welfare of others, engaging them in the perfect excellence of the three worlds without exception.
If one asks what the Buddha has caused to be attained: "definite goodness" refers to that which has become certain and auspicious, namely nirvāṇa. "Higher status" refers to the worldly excellence that is desired and preeminent. He causes them to attain the happiness that is the nature of these two. A mere [worldly] happiness is not beneficial; since he benefits through both and engages them in both, he is said to be "one who acts solely for the benefit [of others]." To show that the engagement of others is not like this, he mentions "Viṣṇu" and so forth.
The words of Viṣṇu produce the defects of faults such as desire. Out of fear of worldly curses, he established Brahmā and others as witnesses; yet, although he touched the fire of Sītā and was thus purified, Viśvāmitra said, "Abandon her!" It is said: "Those who fear the curses of the world, suspicion arises at every step. Even for the disciplined who are filled with great fear, they become weary of prosperity." Thus it was said.
When Sita, though she had sworn an oath by touching the fire, did not become pure, she then prayed to the Earth and entered it. Rāma, becoming enraged, took up a sword and entered [the city] to kill even those as small as atoms. Brahmā then restrained him, saying, "Do not harm this one who is the mother of the world."
In some accounts, when the Garuḍa and Viṣṇu were fighting, the Garuḍa was victorious. Viṣṇu said, "I am pleased by this victory of yours over your opponent; choose a boon from me." He replied, "Since I have been victorious over you, why should I not ask a boon from you?" Viṣṇu said, "In that case, I shall ask a boon from you; grant it." He said, "Then you yourself become my vehicle." Thus, the Garuḍa became his vehicle. Viṣṇu descended to the land and remained there sporting in delight. When the affairs of the gods fell into decline, the gods prayed to Brahmā for his sake.
At that time, Brahmā assumed the guise of a low-caste man (Caṇḍāla) and was sent there. He held secret counsel with Rāma in a secluded place, while his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, was stationed at the gate with the command: "Do not allow anyone to enter here. Whoever attempts to enter, I shall kill them." After some time, the great sage Agastya arrived at that place of the low-caste man. When he was refused entry, the low-caste man said, "If you do not allow me to enter, I shall destroy your entire lineage without exception." Lakṣmaṇa thought:
"I would rather die than let my entire family be destroyed," he thought, and entered within. When he spoke to Rāmaṇa, Rāmaṇa, in order to make his vow firm, took up a sword and set out to kill him. A brahmin said, "Even those who have been exiled are as good as dead; do not kill him, but banish him from his own country." He was then banished accordingly. Having gone to another region where Rāmaṇa had not reached, he threw himself into the fire. When Rāmaṇa heard that news, he was filled with remorse and, together with the people of the city called Avimukta on the river Gaṅgā, passed away into the water.
It is said: "The Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, the Man-Lion, the Dwarf, Rāma the Delighter, Rāmaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and the Buddha Kalki—these are the ten." The ten incarnations of Viṣṇu mentioned here shall now be explained. When this great earth was filled with water, Viṣṇu, in order to benefit it, assumed the form of a tortoise and submerged himself in the water, whereby the four Vedas that had sunk into the underworld were recovered. Then, the gods petitioned Viṣṇu for that purpose; he entered in the form of a fish, retrieved them, and gave them to the gods. The Earth-goddess, oppressed by the extremely heavy burden of the great earth, petitioned the gods, saying, "I am unable to lift this burden." Viṣṇu became a tortoise and lifted that burden. Likewise, Viṣṇu assumed the form of a boar.
He was submerged beneath the great earth and lifted up by his tusks. The protector of beings known as Hiraṇyakaśipu, having practiced austerities for seven hundred thousand years, obtained a boon, saying: "May I not be slain by day or night, inside or outside, on earth or in the sky, below or above; likewise, may I not be killed by weapons, clubs, humans, gods, or animals." Once, when a retinue of five hundred leagues had gathered, someone heard that a being with half the body of a human and half the body of a lion was sitting at the king's gate. Upon hearing this, the king and his retinue were filled with wonder and went there to challenge him to a fight. Then, during the transition between day and night, he took the door bolt, placed it on his knee, and tore open the chest of Hiraṇyakaśipu with his claws, killing him.
Similarly, when the powerful Bali was performing a horse sacrifice, Viṣṇu transformed into the form of a dwarf and went to beg. When Bali gave him three paces of land, Viṣṇu, through his mastery of arts, stepped across the three worlds. Finding no place for a third pace, he bound Bali, who remains even today dwelling beneath the earth. Thus, the poets say: "The patron Bali gave the great earth to Viṣṇu at the time of the horse sacrifice; as a result, he obtained only bondage."
"Who would aspire to such an action of destruction?" Thus it is said. Likewise, Rāma, dwelling on the side of the powerful Kaṃsa, plowed the earth with a plowshare, making it uneven, and springs, wells, and so forth came into being. Nandana is the son of King Daśaratha, namely Rāma; here, the narrative of King Rāma is to be told. Nandana is also known as Nandikeśvara, the son of the sage Jamadagni; his story should also be applied here. Because Rāma killed tens of millions of rākṣasas, in order to purify that sin, the worldly proclaim that in the Age of Conflict (Kali Yuga), Viṣṇu will appear in this world in the form of a Buddha. Regarding the one called Kalki, it is heard thus: the son of the brahmin named Yaśas, called Kalki, will appear at the end, and from that point, the age will reverse. Furthermore, Viṣṇu said:
"In the sun I am Viṣṇu; among the stars I am the radiant moon.
Among the winds I am the radiant one; among the luminous I am the sun.
Among the Vedas I am the Sāmaveda; among the gods I am Śakra.
Among the senses I am the mind; among the elements I am consciousness.
I am Śaṃkara and I am Rudra.
Among the rākṣasas and yakṣas I am the Lord of Wealth (Kubera).
Among the Vasus I am Agni; among the mountains I am Mount Meru.
Among letters I am the letter 'A'."
And so forth.
Thus, it is established that he acts like the behavior of a madman; he conducts himself just as one whose conduct is impaired by madness, and his speech likewise expresses such things. Similarly, whatever words the Great God (Mahādeva) speaks also demonstrate conduct like that of a madman. For instance, he says: "By playing the lute and singing songs, and by listening to and performing dances that bring joy, one will attain happiness; by remaining naked, one will attain prosperity; and one should present oneself in a manner like the conduct of a jester."
Likewise, according to the Bindumatī-uttara-tantra, in order to purify the sin of having severed the head of the Great Brahmā, he took up the ascetic vow of carrying a human skull. Similarly, in order to arouse the joy of desire in the wives of the sages, while the sages were dwelling in a pine forest, they went outside to gather firewood and other necessities. At that time, the Great God raised his own phallus and entered that place. He stirred the minds of the wives and daughters of the great sages, and when those sages returned in the afternoon and heard the news, they became enraged and cast a curse, causing his phallus to fall to the ground. The Great God then assumed the form of an elephant and entered the dense thickets of a sāla forest. When Nārada heard this account, he went to the presence of the great sages and retrieved that phallus.
Through the mutual granting of boons by the sages, Mahādeva was restored to his former name and attributes. Then, while he was sporting and delighting with Umā, his semen fell to the ground due to the influence of an obstacle. When it made a noise, Umā placed an elephant’s head upon it, and from that, Vināyaka was born. At another time, while he was being nourished with milk and other substances, the elephant—because he delighted in liquor and because he had previously been a gandharva—desired to drink wine. Mahādeva granted this, saying, "Since the Lord of Creatures does not emit poison, this is an emanation," and thus gave his permission.
Likewise, a blind asura, having assumed the form of Mahādeva, desired to engage in sexual union with Umā. When he approached her, she saw a single mole on the region of his chest and did not desire him. When Mahādeva heard of this, he took up his trident and engaged in battle. Having impaled him on the trident, as many drops of blood as fell from the body of the blind asura became asuras who arrived to wage war. For that purpose, the gods emanated eight goddesses, including Cāmuṇḍī; as they descended through the sky, they drank the blood so that not a single drop fell to the ground, and in that way, he was slain.
Similarly, after a long time, Mahādeva saw Prahlāda Īśvara and said, "Where have you been?" He replied:
"I have composed a treatise based on reasons." Maheśvara said, "Bring it here!" When he had brought it, Maheśvara became enraged, split it into two pieces, and cast them into the submarine fire of the Mare’s Mouth. Nandikeśvara said, "I see the mark of a brahmin-slayer upon your fingernails," and so on, up to, "Because you cut off the head of Brahmā, you have taken up the ascetic practice of the skull-bearer." Maheśvara was pleased and retrieved that treatise from the submarine fire. He divided it into two parts: the Jyotiṣa-śāstra (Astronomy) and the Sāgara (The Ocean), which teaches the characteristics of women, men, palmistry, and so forth. Thus, their characteristics are as incoherent as those of a madman. The speech of the Tathāgata, however, eliminates all faults without exception and brings about peace. As it is said:
"It is the medicine most beneficial for the disease of sorrow,
The supreme lamp that dispels the darkness of total delusion.
Since it opens the eyes that produce the wisdom of reality,
Listen to the vast speech of the Buddha.
It disciplines the body and so forth, and clears away the three faults;
It liberates the three realms and attains the wisdom of the three times.
The three lower realms are pacified, and the three types of awakening are attained.
It possesses the three excellences, such as hearing and so forth at the beginning.
There is no other word like this for those of such great fortune.
Therefore, having made offerings to the Sage’s speech,
Listen to it with the utmost reverence."
Such are the words that were spoken.
Therefore, consider and examine well who is the most worthy teacher to demonstrate pacification; or rather, declare who is the Great One, or listen! In order to clarify through the words of another that the Blessed One alone is worthy of being the Great Teacher, the words beginning with "Whoever" are spoken. Any great god or the like who strives to harm others is devoid of affection and has abandoned compassion; one who possesses compassion does not inflict harm upon others. Furthermore, the Buddha, the Blessed One, is one to whom the multitudes of living beings have gone for refuge and who has become the basis of refuge. He has pledged, "I shall be your support and your protection from harm," and has satisfied them with words such as, "Do not be afraid."
If it is argued that even if one has vowed to benefit others, one might fail to do so under the influence of afflictions such as desire, then the words beginning with "With desire" are spoken. Thus, between those who possess desire and those who are free from desire, consider and reflect upon which of these two is worthy of being honored and venerated here, and then declare it! The meaning is that it is perfectly clear that only he who possesses compassion and is free from desire is truly worthy of worship.
If one asks, "Who is it that strives to cause harm to others?" the text mentions Śakra and so forth. Śakra is called "the Powerful One" (Śakra); because he is able to slay his enemies, he is Śakra. It should be understood that he is one who inflicts harm upon others. Furthermore, he wields a vajra; for those who possess compassion do not take up weapons to kill others. The causes for the emergence of the vajra have been explained previously. "Bali" refers to the one of great strength. "Plow-wielder" refers to one who holds a plow as a weapon. Regarding the reason for the great battle between the gods and the asuras over the theft of the amṛta: at that time, Śakra held the vajra, Skanda held a short spear, and Bali was the plow-wielder. It is said that Bali is an emanation of the nāga king Vāsuki, who upholds the great earth, and that the plow serves his vast purposes. Regarding "Viṣṇu holds the weapon of the cakra," the manner in which the cakra arises has been explained previously. Skanda is known by the synonymous names Kartikeya and the "Six-faced One." Regarding the phrase "he holds a short spear," it is heard that an asura named Mahiṣa practiced austerities for five hundred divine years and pleased Mahādeva. He then took a short spear to kill men, and having utterly intimidated the gods with it, the gods made a supplication to Umā.
"Even though you are a woman, because you have found this weapon to kill the Great Being, we are greatly tormented. Strive to destroy it!" When they had spoken thus, she pleased the Great God through asceticism and obtained a trident. When she engaged in battle and struck with the trident, as many drops of blood as fell from the body of the asura in the form of a buffalo, that many asuras were transformed into buffaloes. By the power of what was severed from Umā’s forehead, as many drops of sweat as fell to the ground also became piśācas with extremely terrifying forms. They consumed those drops of blood in the very midst of the sky. Once that asura was killed, his short spear was obtained, and when Skanda raised it up, he gave that short spear to Skanda.
The Great God is the fierce Mahādeva. As it is said: "He who burns like a sharp fire, who eats the radiant pestle, and who eats flesh, marrow, blood, and so forth—he is therefore explained as the Fierce One." Regarding the phrase "holding the trident weapon," it is explained that the Great God received the trident weapon made from the bones of Dadhīci by all the gods through their ritual actions. Others say that when the triple-layered city was being burned, the gods offered a prayer to the Great God. When he took up the weapon, at that time the gods brought the bones of the sage Dadhīci and arrived.
The nāgas brought a tortoise shell that served as the base for the maṇḍala, and the humans brought a vajra. Then, the Sarvakarmika [priest] fashioned a trident from those three and gave it to Mahādeva; so it is said. As for dwelling in the charnel ground, it is because Mahādeva, the fierce one, has established his abode in the charnel ground.
With reference to all the gods without exception, the words "those" and so forth are mentioned. "Those" refers to Śakra and the others. If one asks what they are like: because they arise from ignorance, they are called "fools." As it is said: "Monks, those who engage in the actions of wrong thought, wrong speech, and wrong conduct are called fools." Furthermore, what are they like? They are "merciless," which means they lack compassion and are cruel. Those who are not cruel and unruly do not destroy others. Because they are thus cruel, they possess various weapons and are "armed with diverse weapons," meaning they carry many different and varied types of weaponry. They are also possessed of suffering and so forth. "Suffering" refers to the immediate affliction of body and mind. "Fear" refers to the mind shrinking and becoming cowed due to the fear of future suffering; thus, they are oppressed and tormented by those two. In that way, suffering and...
Those who are free from the harm of fear have no need to carry weapons for the purpose of harming others. If it is argued that they carry weapons to intimidate others but not to kill, it is for this reason that the words "always" and so forth are stated. Those who constantly and continuously carry weapons, striving to crush and kill embodied beings and living creatures—what wise person, endowed with insight and able to distinguish between virtues and faults, would bow to or pay homage to such a one? This shows that they are not worthy of homage.
In order to demonstrate that the Blessed One alone is to be honored because he is free from the faults just described, the words "Whoever" and so forth are stated. [The gods] carry the trident to destroy enemies, and likewise, because they possess desire, they keep a wife in their arms, holding her in their lap. If it is argued that there is no fault in holding a daughter in one's lap, [the text replies that] he possesses neither the desire of the senses nor does he keep a wife in his arms like the Great God (Maheśvara). Likewise, he does not carry a discus like Viṣṇu, nor does he carry a short spear like Skanda, nor does he carry a fierce thunderbolt to destroy enemies like Śakra, nor does he carry a plow like Balarāma.
If one asks why he does not carry these weapons, it is because he is completely liberated from the afflictions (kleśa).
The meaning of "completely liberated and having utterly abandoned" is to be definitively freed from the collection of afflictions such as desire and so forth. "The wise one, striving to benefit others" means that he is diligent in accomplishing the needs of others and is endowed with great compassion. "Became a refuge" means he is worthy of being taken as a refuge. If one asks, "Of whom is he the worthy refuge?" it is of worldly beings. If one asks, "Why is he worthy of being a refuge?" it is because he possesses the perfection of wisdom and the perfection of abandonment. Therefore, one should infer that he is the teacher of the three realms of existence and is worthy of being a refuge. If one asks, "Who is he?" it is the Sage, the Great Sage, the Buddha, the Blessed One. In this context, "here" means that I take refuge here in the Buddha, the Blessed One. Furthermore, if one relies upon and takes refuge in him, it is a "refuge" in the sense that it destroys and causes the disappearance of sinful and non-virtuous things. In order to clarify that while others have faults, you have no faults, and therefore you alone are worthy of being a refuge, the words "Great God" and so forth are mentioned. The Great God, under the power of desire for sensual pleasure, takes and accepts a wife. What kind of Great God is he? He is one who has abandoned shame, being devoid of shame due to passion. Furthermore: "Desire destroys shame; sorrow destroys stability; joy destroys the body."
It is said: "Pride utterly destroys all virtues from their very root." Regarding the term "mockery," it refers to one whose nature is to sustain [the self] through the habit of killing and so forth out of hatred; the meaning is that the Great God (Maheśvara) possesses such faults and maintains a wife. Viṣṇu is exceedingly fierce; even toward those who are objects of compassion, he lacks gentleness and tranquility, as seen in his engagement in acts such as the killing of Laṅkasana. "Wasting what has been done" refers to how, although the Powerful One (Balabhadra) gave him the three worlds, he caused him to be bound; for it is improper to place one who has performed great benefit beneath the earth in bondage. The Witherer (Skanda) killed his own kinsman—the mountain called Krauñca, who was his maternal uncle—in order to kill him; it is renowned that he did not kill him by the hand of another, but killed him himself. Durgā is the one who averts hardship; she is the goddess Umā. She is wrathful and fierce; for although most women are endowed with compassion, Umā is not like that. Why is this? Because she kills the great asura known as Mahiṣa. The mātṛs are also cruel and fierce. Why is this? Because they consume and enjoy human flesh and fat. Who are those mātṛs? They are Brahmāṇī, Rudrāṇī, Vaiṣṇavī, Kaumārī, Indrāṇī, Kauberī, and...
Vārāhī and Cāmuṇḍī—these eight are called the mātṛs. Vināyaka is the lord of vighnas, namely Gaṇapati. He has a great fondness for alcohol and craves it. His story has been told previously. "The one endowed with the ten powers" refers to the Buddha. In him, there is not even the slightest fraction of the extensive faults found in Mahādeva and the others; because he has abandoned all afflictions along with their latent predispositions, the meaning is that he is free from even the slightest fault.
If you ask, "You speak thus because you are biased," it is for that reason that the words "That Blessed One" and so forth are stated. That Buddha, the Blessed One, has not become my kinsman or relative, nor have Mahādeva and the others become my enemies. Likewise, although I have not directly seen the conduct of those from Mahādeva up to the one endowed with the ten powers, nevertheless, from hearing the various source texts regarding their specific words and specific conduct, I have relied upon and taken refuge in the Buddha, the Blessed One, and have abandoned the others.
Why is that? Because the Buddha possesses the most excellent qualities, I have faith in and delight in him; for that reason, I rely upon and abide in his teaching. In order to clarify the very subject thus commenced, the words "The Sugata" and so forth are stated.
In this context, the Sugata is not my father, nor are the other non-Buddhists such as Kaṇāda and others who have entered other paths my enemies. Likewise, it is not the Tathāgata who bestowed wealth upon me or accomplished [this] through his speech, nor did Kaṇāda, Akṣapāda, and the rest take away any material wealth.
Regarding that, the one called Kaṇāda is so named because he ate only grain fragments and practiced austerities, thereby attaining the accomplishment of his ascetic vows. Thus, Kaṇāda composed the source text of the Vaiśeṣika non-Buddhists, while the sage Akṣapāda composed the source text of the Nyāya. Furthermore, as for the name Akṣapāda, this sage was placed by Mahādeva to guard Umā. Because he was exceedingly handsome, Umā became filled with desire. As he sat directly in front of her, she displayed the signs of passion, and he averted his eyes. As he remained there, she continued to avert her gaze from him until she finally placed her eyes upon her two feet. Upon hearing that story, Mahādeva was pleased and granted him the boon: "May you become the teacher who composes the Nyāya source text." The word "and so forth" includes the sage Kapila and others.
If that is the case, one might wonder: "Why then do you remain adhering to a particular position?" To address that, the text says "However," and so forth. Even though he is not an enemy or a friend and the like, the Buddha, the Blessed One, is a Buddha because he possesses the perfection of primordial wisdom (jñāna).
The Blessed One is so called because he has abandoned the latent tendencies of the afflictions along with their habitual imprints. Possessing great compassion that acts for the benefit of sentient beings, he works solely for the welfare of wandering beings. Thus, because he possesses these three qualities, the speech of that Buddha, the Blessed One, is stainless; it is a philosophical system free from all faults and likewise a means of clearing away all stains. This very speech has the nature of clearing and destroying all the stains of the afflictions, for by merely hearing it, all the latent predispositions of the afflictions are eliminated. Regarding this, my faith is that I possess devotion and aspiration toward the speech of the Lord of Sages. In order to clarify that I myself have devotion and faith in the Sugata, he says "whoever" and so forth. In that context, "always" means continuously. "Benefit" refers to the welfare of others; because he possesses the nature of delighting in and desiring that, he wishes for them to attain the distinction of the supramundane. Likewise, he constantly and continuously benefits wandering beings with various mundane forms of happiness. Furthermore, the Blessed One performs that which pacifies whatever sufferings are stirred up by the afflictions. If one asks for whom he does this: he brings happiness to whichever wandering beings are tormented, oppressed, and crushed by many kinds of suffering.
Likewise, that Teacher who clearly knows all objects of knowledge—whether conditioned or unconditioned, and those of the three times—as clearly as an object placed in the palm of one's hand, is worthy of being an object of faith. To that peerless Sage, whose nature is to always delight in benefiting others and so forth, and who possesses the cause for which there is no equal in the three worlds, I too have become faithful. For wise people endowed with faith are not fit to rely upon a mistaken path.
Because the Blessed One possesses qualities such as delighting in the benefit of others, he is a great field of merit; to demonstrate this, the words "from the heart" and so forth are spoken. Even if one possesses a perfect intention such as faith and reverence, if there is no application, the words "faith from the heart" are used. Even if there is no constant application, to make offerings to him is what is meant by "as one pleases." This refers to engaging after ten or twenty years have passed, or engaging without a specific cause, which is called "as one pleases"; or else, engaging when the conditions are assembled, but not acting when they are not.
The phrase "or with doubt" means: if there is merit, it is well; even if there is not, my great purpose is not lost. As it is said: "Even if there is doubt regarding the next world, the wise should abandon non-virtue. If it does not exist, what fault is there? If it does exist, the claim that it does not is defeated." Thus it is stated.
Regarding the phrase "even for the sake of others," this refers to engaging in the practice with the thought: "If I do this while others do not, I will incur great punishment and censure." The meaning is that if any person who possesses any of these four motivations prostrates to you, the Lord of Sages, that individual will attain the perfect bliss of divine prosperity; what need is there to mention those who practice with the excellence of faith and the like, both in motivation and application?
The term "Moon of the Lord of Sages" is used because he is like the moon: due to his extreme tranquility and because he brings satisfaction to the mind. Just as meeting with food for the hungry or drink for the thirsty dispels hunger and thirst, he brings about the attainment of perfection. Those who have faith in Viṣṇu claim that he is the one to be trusted here; however, in order to refute those who say, "I have heard this account from the ancient legends of the Wind," the text states "in the past" and so forth. The Buddha, who is worshipped by the three worlds, is indeed Viṣṇu, as previously stated: "The Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar," and so on. Furthermore, having heard that worldly beings are subject to birth, aging, and so forth, and are under the power of others, he thought, "Out of compassion, I must protect and deliver these people," and thus became marvelous and omniscient.
With a mind of wonder and compassion, thinking, "I shall deliver these beings from this [suffering]," he was born into the pure Gautama lineage, which flourishes as the Śākya clan. Having made his words worthy of being upheld, he became known in this world as a "Buddha." Hearing the renown that he is the teacher of suchness and is also one who brings benefit, some say, "That is not so." Those who are deluded and foolish do not realize that the Blessed Buddha is the teacher of suchness for the three worlds and the one who benefits all wandering beings. Furthermore, because a Buddha appears only once in a great while, they do not know him. As it is said: "Even in thousands of millions of eons, and even in hundreds of millions, if one does not hear the very sound of 'Buddha,' what need is there to mention seeing a Buddha?"
If it is argued, "This Viṣṇu appears during the Age of Conflict (kali-yuga), therefore we do not worship him," it is for that reason that the words "When..." and so forth are stated. "Desire" (rāga) is attachment and clinging to jewels and the like. "Hatred" (dveṣa) is the intention to harm others; to "possess" that is to be hostile toward enemies. Therefore, by those [afflictions of] desire and hatred, the so-called gods and asuras—
Through the distinction of whether or not they relied upon the amṛta, these two names arose from the time the Ocean of Milk was churned. This is what was heard: At the command of Brahmā, the gods gathered on one side and the asuras on the other. Viṣṇu held [Mount] Mandara from above, the nāga king Vāsuki served as the churning rope, and a tortoise supported it from below; thus the great Ocean of Milk was churned.
Then, a terrifying being of poison called Kālakūṭa emerged. When Viṣṇu swallowed it, he lost consciousness and fell to the ground, remaining silent. Mahādeva drew it out from him and placed it upon his throat. Because of that, his throat became blue. Then the crescent moon emerged, which Mahādeva took and placed upon his head. Then, the goddess Śrī appeared, and she herself took Viṣṇu and joined with him. After that, Ucchaiḥśravas the horse, the Pārijāta tree, and so forth emerged, which Śakra and the other gods took as was appropriate.
Then, a woman of great beauty appeared. When they asked her, "Who are you?" she replied, "I am liquor (madya). If you drink me, transformations such as intoxication, fainting, and arrogance will arise."
The asuras, being afraid, did not drink it and thus became known as "asuras" (non-gods), while the gods, having drunk it, became known as "devas" (gods). When the amṛta appeared, the asuras carried off eight large vessels filled with it. When the gods became utterly despondent, Viṣṇu transformed himself into the form of an extremely charming and beautiful woman and went there; Śakra also remained in the sky in an invisible form. At that time, the asuras, thinking, "This is our woman," appointed her as the guardian of the amṛta. They themselves went to bathe, for it is said in the treatises on dharma: "Since one who has not washed will be defiled by impurities, one should not eat food without having bathed." For that reason, they went to bathe. During that interval, Viṣṇu and Śakra stole the amṛta and carried it to Śakra’s palace. When they returned from bathing and did not see the amṛta, they exerted themselves in searching for it. Hearing that the gods had taken it, and thinking that the gods always move above, they concluded that the asuras were not gods. At that time, when the gods had assembled to enjoy the amṛta, Rāhu transformed himself into the guise of a god, entered the assembly, and obtained a portion of the amṛta. The Sun saw him and said to Viṣṇu, "This is Rāhu!" Viṣṇu then cut off his head with a discus; however, because he had already tasted and licked the amṛta, his head remains even today.
The remaining bodies perished. Then, Rāhu and Āditya became hostile, and it is said that whenever the sun’s maṇḍala is covered and obscured, it is due to them. Regarding how he plundered the jewels of the gods and asuras, it shall be told: King Pradyota possessed a jewel called Samantaka. Viṣṇu requested it, but when it was not given, Viṣṇu went to wage war against him with nineteen divisions of his army. Pradyota, through the power of the jewel, merely by thinking of it, mobilized twenty divisions of a great army capable of subduing adversaries and engaged in battle. He defeated Viṣṇu and withdrew. At another time, King Pradyota went hunting and was killed by a lion. A lord of bears named Jambuka saw the jewel in the lion’s throat; having killed the lion, he took it. A false report arose that Viṣṇu had killed King Pradyota for the sake of the jewel. Viṣṇu sent a messenger to search for it, and in a cave, he found a young girl weeping. To comfort her, her nurse said:
"Pradyota was killed by a lion,
The lion was killed by Jambuka.
This Samantaka jewel is yours;
O noble girl, do not weep."
Hearing such words, he repeated them and sent the nurse herself as a messenger to retrieve the jewel.
That messenger was extremely intelligent, and in order to achieve his goal without difficulty, he took the daughter of Jambū for the sake of Viṣṇu. The Lord of Bears also promised, "I shall give you the girl and the wealth." Viṣṇu became angry and said, "What is the use of the girl? I shall fight, kill him, and seize it." Devarāja said:
"Abandoning pride, contempt,
As well as shame and majesty,
One should accomplish one's own purpose with steadfastness;
To fail in one's own purpose is a reproach."
Having spoken thus, he followed those words and obtained everything. Jambū was an asura who wandered about in the form of a bear; he had seized such a jewel. The jewels of the gods are the Parijata and so forth, which were also seized from Śakra; this should be applied according to the accounts famous in the poetry of the seizure of jewels. Because he possessed an intellect characterized by attachment and clinging, he was one of "attached intellect." He employed deceit to deceive others, and by that, he seized the earth. Initially, Bali had brought all the earth under his control; then, the thought of seizing it from him arose in his attached mind. At that time, having transformed into the form of a dwarf and seized the earth, he became one whose nature was such a plunderer. Even though at that time he remained unfreed from the bonds of desire and so forth,
Foolish people who lack insight offer worship with flowers and the like, and they prostrate. Although the Buddha, the Blessed One, is completely liberated from the collection of latent tendencies, most people do not prostrate to him. Even though the Buddha, the Blessed One, is liberated from the collection of afflictions, has realized the meaning of all phenomena without exception, and is peaceful and utterly pure both internally and externally, people still do not prostrate. Why is this? It is said, "Because of delusion"; because they are shrouded in the darkness of ignorance, they do not prostrate due to a lack of discernment.
Furthermore, in order to demonstrate that the Buddha, the Blessed One, alone is the supreme field of merit and that others are not, it is said, "This earth," and so forth. The great earth, which encircles the four oceans located in the east and other directions like a girdle and is endowed with many qualities, is like a heavy burden. Because it is difficult to lift, it remains heavy with weight; and because it remains perfectly level, it is as if it were "heavy-heavy." Even if such an earth were given to the powerful Viṣṇu, the result would be suffering. He would be bound in a prison beneath the earth, reaching a state of suffering, and would experience a condition of being overcome by affliction and pain.
Here, the distinction is that by offering even a mere speck of dust to the Sage, the Buddha, the Blessed One, one becomes the king known as Aśoka. This occurred when the Blessed One went to Rājagṛha for alms and a boy named Jaya, upon seeing him, was filled with intense faith and offered a handful of refuse from the street. The Blessed One then prophesied: "One hundred years after I have passed into parinirvāṇa, this boy will become the powerful universal monarch Aśoka. Because he rejoiced in the boy Vijaya, he will become his supreme minister, known as Rathapāla."
If one asks what kind of territory he will obtain: he will obtain the entire surface of the earth, pervaded by the light rays of the full moon's orb. Furthermore, he will obtain a land that is virtuous, free from the harms of untimely death, famine, epidemics, and the like. Thus, this demonstrates how merit arises from the distinction between a worthy field and an unworthy field.
Regarding the thought that you speak thus because you are biased, I have said "I am," and so forth. I do not hold to the side of the Buddha out of no reason or by taking faults as a cause, nor am I biased. Furthermore, I have no malice or intent to harm the non-Buddhist teachers such as the sage Kapila.
Since one must generally abide everywhere in equanimity like the sun without cause, the meaning is that those whose words are endowed with reason and can withstand the scrutiny of valid cognition should be fully accepted as the Teacher, and it is to them that the noble ones should go for refuge. This entire world is not worthy of refuge because it is devoid of freedom from desire and is thoroughly inhabited by the rākṣasas of the afflictions; it is like a house made into a dwelling by the rākṣasa Brahmā—so the discerning ones assert. Therefore, the words "In this way..." and so forth are stated: among these four, one in particular has certainly become omniscient, whereas not all have reached the ultimate. Just as the sun is preeminent among luminous bodies, the ocean among small lakes, and Mount Meru among mountains, so too the Omniscient One is preeminent among the intelligent; others do not know all objects of knowledge. Likewise, his teaching is exclusively beneficial to beings and is an extremely vast system of instruction; whatever teaching of the eighty-four thousand aggregates of dharma and so forth he reveals, that is what the intelligent should seek. With what kind of intellect? One should seek with the eye of subtle intelligence. In that regard, intelligence itself is the eye that sees the subtle; having sought and examined with that, one should rely [upon the teaching].
Others are not omniscient, but are experts in ruin and cause harm to sentient beings; what need is there to rely upon or accept them as teachers? What purpose would they serve? The meaning is that they have no purpose whatsoever for one's benefit. If that is so, then upon whom should one rely so that all purposes without exception are accomplished? For that reason, the text says "upon whom" and so forth. If there is a teacher in whom all faults of the afflictions, along with their latencies, do not exist at all, and in whom all qualities such as discipline and absorption exist in every way and without exception, then he alone is my teacher, and he alone is the refuge for all wandering beings without exception; others are not. I do not say this merely out of an intolerance for their names; otherwise, there would be a factual error. This is what is being shown: if it is reasonable to say that Maheśvara and Viṣṇu are not teachers because they possess the faults just described, then since Brahmā does not possess even a single fault, it is reasonable that he is the teacher of the entire world. Or, if you ask, "If he has faults, then state them," they shall be stated: in reality, he is not even free from the desire of the desire realm, so how could one say that he is free from every stain of fault? He possesses those very faults in the hundreds; this god is explained as being equal to those two and to Brahmā.
Furthermore, it is said that when the goddess Umā was taken as a bride, as they were circumambulating the altar, he saw her exquisite form and his mind was captivated; he fainted and his semen was discharged, and Brahmā is said to have become so ashamed that he rubbed it with his foot, causing it to split into many hundreds of pieces. From those, eighty thousand sages known as the "Affectionate Children" were born. It is also told that after Brahmā granted a boon, two brothers named Sunaḥ and Upasuna caused great harm to the three worlds. To kill them, all the gods gathered portions of the splendor of their own bodies and emanated the one called Tilottamā. When she came to pay homage to Brahmā, under the power of passion, Brahmā emanated four faces on his four sides. Then Mahādeva cut off his central head, and so forth—many such accounts of confused conduct are recounted. Moreover, following the name of this [deity], other faults also arise; furthermore, it is shown that he is a false creator, saying, "You all are my emanations." Thus, I have heard that there are many faults in these words, whereas in the teaching of the Blessed One, there is not even a trace of any fault. As it is said: "To rescue the faithful from poverty, he says, 'I cannot do so while I am alive; I shall rescue you after I die.' Such words spoken by that god are lies. Fire does not burn by mere touch; as for those who say, 'It burns if one remembers,' if those words were true," [it would be so].
These two are also like that, and the Blessed One is likewise.
He does not say that the self is the nature of action.
Like the sun illuminating the surface of the earth,
He makes the nature of beings clear.
The world does not experience results that are not from action;
Beings accumulate actions through their own afflictions.
Through virtue and non-virtue, desirable and undesirable
Results are produced, just like seeds.
One who has complete knowledge of all phenomena,
Who has exhausted all faults,
And who acts for the benefit of all sentient beings—
All such as these are the Tathāgatas.
Thus it is said, and so forth. In order to explain this very point extensively, the words "To whom..." and so forth are spoken. "Immeasurable" means without limit. "Compassionate" means possessing great compassion. Furthermore, with the pure divine eye, he constantly gazes upon the entire world without exception. As it is said: "With the Buddha-eye, he gazes upon the worlds three times during the day and three times during the night." Thus it is. In that way, possessing great compassion, he delivers these beings from suffering. Since he is the supreme refuge and support, the meaning is that one goes to him for refuge and relies upon him. In order to dedicate that praise, the words "The lotus..." and so forth are spoken. Because the Buddha, the Blessed One, possesses the most excellent qualities of form, he is like a blue utpala flower in full bloom.
He who possesses eyes that are long and beautiful like fully blossomed petals is so called; this is mentioned merely to characterize the eyes, as they are the supreme faculty of the form body (rūpakāya). Not only that, but he is also the locus of all qualities. Just as the ocean is the support and abode for the flow of many thousands of rivers, the Blessed One is the source and foundation from which hundreds of thousands of rivers of praise for his qualities arise. From the words of praise and eulogy addressed to him as such an object of praise, whatever slight root of virtue (kuśalamūla) I have produced and cultivated, by this root of virtue, may all sentient beings possess unsurpassed happiness. Here, "definite excellence" refers to happiness that is irreproachable, and the meaning is: "May all wandering beings possess happiness."
Through this detailed explanation of the Praise to the One Surpassing the Gods, whatever merit I have accumulated, by that may I attain nirvāṇa. The Extensive Commentary on the Praise to the One Surpassing the Gods, composed by the master Prajñāvarman, is complete. It was translated and finalized by the Indian abbot Jārandana and the chief editor and translator, the monk Rinchen Zangpo.