The Heart of Dependent Origination

Selected Verses from the Heart of Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpāda-hṛdaya-kārikā) by Nagarjuna.

Sources

• Translation: Lotsawa House, translated by Adam Pearcey (2011, Revised 2021).
• Transliteration & Sanskrit: GRETIL, based on the edition by Chr. Lindtner (Nagarjuniana, Copenhagen 1982, pp. 164-168).

Verse 1

Sanskrit

द्वादश ये ऽङ्गविशेषा मुनिनोद्दिष्टाः प्रतीत्यसम्भूताः / ते क्लेशकर्मदुःखेषु सङ्गृहीतास्त्रिषु यथावत्

Transliteration

dvādaśa ye ‘ṅgaviśeṣā muninoddiṣṭāḥ pratītyasambhūtāḥ / te kleśakarmaduḥkheṣu saṅgṛhītāstriṣu yathāvat

Translation

These different links, twelve in number, Which Buddha taught as dependent origination, Can be summarized in three categories: Mental afflictions, karma and suffering.

Verse 2

Sanskrit

आद्याष्टमनवमाः स्युः क्लेशाः कर्म द्वितीयदशमौ च / शेषाः सप्त च दुःखं त्रिसङ्ग्रहा द्वादश तु धर्माः

Transliteration

ādyāṣṭamanavamāḥ syuḥ kleśāḥ karma dvitīyadaśamau ca / śeṣāḥ sapta ca duḥkhaṃ trisaṅgrahā dvādaśa tu dharmāḥ

Translation

The first, eighth and ninth are afflictions, The second and tenth are karma, The remaining seven are suffering. Thus the twelve links are grouped in three.

Verse 3

Sanskrit

त्रिभ्यो भवति द्वन्द्वं द्वन्द्वात्प्रभवन्ति सप्त सप्तभ्यः / त्रय उद्भवन्ति भूयस्तदेवतु भ्रमति भवचक्रम्

Transliteration

tribhyo bhavati dvandvaṃ dvandvātprabhavanti sapta saptabhyaḥ / traya udbhavanti bhūyastadeva[tu] bhramati bhavacakram

Translation

From the three the two originate, And from the two the seven come, From seven the three come once again— Thus the wheel of existence turns and turns.

Verse 4

Sanskrit

हेतुफलञ्चहिसर्वं जगदन्यो नास्ति कश्चिदिह सत्त्वः / शून्येभ्य एव शून्या धर्माः प्रभवन्ति धर्मेभ्यः

Transliteration

hetuphalañca[hi]sarvaṃ jagadanyo nāsti kaścidiha sattvaḥ / śūnyebhya eva śūnyā dharmāḥ prabhavanti dharmebhyaḥ

Translation

All beings consist of causes and effects, In which there is no ‘sentient being’ at all. From phenomena which are exclusively empty, There arise only empty phenomena. All things are devoid of any ‘I’ or ‘mine’.

Verse 5

Sanskrit

स्वाध्यायदीपमुद्रादर्पणघोष ऽर्ककान्तबीजाम्लैः / स्कन्धप्रतिसन्धिरसङ्क्रमश्च विद्वद्भिरवधार्यौ

Transliteration

svādhyāyadīpamudrādarpaṇaghoṣa ‘rkakāntabījāmlaiḥ / skandhapratisandhirasaṅkramaśca vidvadbhiravadhāryau

Translation

Like a recitation, a candle, a mirror, a seal, A magnifying glass, a seed, sourness, or a sound, So also with the continuation of the aggregates— The wise should know they are not transferred.

Verse 6

Sanskrit

य उच्छेदं प्रकल्पयत्यतिसूक्ष्मे ऽपि वस्तुनि / प्रतीत्यसम्भवस्यार्थमविज्ञः स न पश्यति

Transliteration

ya ucchedaṃ prakalpayatyatisūkṣme ‘pi vastuni / pratītyasambhavasyārthamavijñaḥ sa na paśyati

Translation

Then, as for extremely subtle entities, Those who regard them with nihilism, Lacking precise and thorough knowledge, Will not see the actuality of conditioned arising.

Verse 7

Sanskrit

नापनेयमतः किञ्चित् प्रक्षेप्यं nāpi kiñcana / द्रष्टव्यं भूततो भूतं भूतदर्शी विमुच्यते

Transliteration

nāpaneyamataḥ kiñcit prakṣepyaṃ nāpi kiñcana / draṣṭavyaṃ bhūtato bhūtaṃ bhūtadarśī vimucyate

Translation

In this, there is not a thing to be removed, Nor the slightest thing to be added. It is looking perfectly into reality itself, And when reality is seen, complete liberation.

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Reference: Nagarjuna