Muni's PlayMadhyamakaśāstrastutiḥ
Praise of the Madhyamaka Treatise
Verse 1
Sanskrit
यद्बुद्धैरिह शासनं नवविधं सूत्रादि संकीर्तितं
लोकानां चरितानुरोधनिपुणं सत्यद्वयापाश्रयम्।
तस्मिन् रागनिराकृतौ नहि कथा द्वेषक्षये जायते
द्वेषस्यापि निराकृतौ नहि कथा रागक्षये जायते॥ १॥
Word-by-word
यद् (What) | बुद्धैः-इह (by Buddhas here) | शासनं (teaching) | नव-विधं (nine-fold) | सूत्रादि (Sutras etc.) | संकीर्तितं (proclaimed) | लोकानां (of people) | चरित-अनुरोध-निपुणं (skillful in following dispositions) | सत्य-द्वय-अपाश्रयम् (resting on two truths) | तस्मिन् (in that) | राग-निराकृतौ (in removing passion) | न-हि (not indeed) | कथा (discourse) | द्वेष-क्षये (in destroying hatred) | जायते (arises).
Translation
The Buddhas proclaimed a nine-fold teaching—Sutras and so on—which is skillful in following the dispositions of beings and rests upon the Two Truths; in that teaching, a discourse for removing passion does not also destroy hatred.
Verse 2
Sanskrit
मानादेरपि यत् क्षयाय वचनं नान्यं मलं हन्ति तत्
तस्माद्वयापितरं न तत्र च पुनस्तास्ता महार्थाः कथाः।
मा मोहस्य परिक्षयाय तु कथा क्लेशानशेषानसौ
हन्यान्मोहसमाश्रिता हि सकलाः क्लेशा जिनैर्भाषिताः॥ २॥
Word-by-word
मानादेः-अपि (of pride etc.) | यत् (which) | क्षयाय (for destruction) | वचनं (word) | न-अन्यं (not other) | मलं (impurity) | हन्ति (kills) | तत् (that) | तस्मात् (therefore) | व्यापितरं (more pervasive) | न (not) | तत्र (there) | मा (not) | मोहस्य (of delusion) | परिक्षयाय (for total destruction) | तु (but) | कथा (discourse) | क्लेशान्-अशेषान् (defilements without exception) | असौ (this) | हन्यात् (kills).
Translation
A word spoken to destroy pride does not kill other impurities; therefore, such specific instructions are not all-pervading. However, the discourse for the total destruction of delusion (moha) kills all defilements without exception.
Verse 3
Sanskrit
मोहस्यास्य परिक्षयाय च यतो दृष्टाः प्रतीत्यादय-
स्तत्त्वं तत् प्रतिपच्च सैव सुगतैः संकीर्तिता मध्यमा।
कायो धर्ममयो मुनेः स च यतः सा शून्यतेत्युच्यते
बुद्धानां हृदयं स चापि महती विद्येति संकीर्त्यते॥ ३॥
Word-by-word
मोहस्य-अस्य (of this delusion) | परिक्षयाय (for destruction) | च (and) | यतः (since) | दृष्टाः (seen) | प्रतीत्यादयः (dependent origination etc.) | तत्त्वं (truth) | तत् (that) | प्रतिपद् (path) | सा-एव (that very) | सुगतैः (by Sugatas/Buddhas) | संकीर्तिता (proclaimed) | मध्यमा (Middle) | कायो (body) | धर्ममयो (made of Dharma) | मुनेः (of the Sage) | सा (that) | शून्यता-इति-उच्यते (is called Emptiness).
Translation
To destroy this delusion, the Buddhas realized dependent origination; that is the Truth, and that is the “Middle Path” proclaimed by the Sugatas. This is the Dharma-body of the Sage, which is also called Emptiness.
Verse 4
Sanskrit
यस्मात्सर्वगुणाकरोऽयमुदितो बुद्धैरतस्तत्कथा
शास्त्रे मध्यमकेऽथ विस्तरतरा मुख्यात्मना वर्णिता।
कारुण्यद्रुतचेतसा प्रवचनं बुद्ध्वा यथावस्थितं
बुद्धानां तनयेन तेन सुधिया नागार्जुनेनादरात्॥ ४॥
Word-by-word
यस्मात् (Because) | सर्व-गुणाकरः-अयम् (this source of all virtues) | उदितः (arisen/proclaimed) | बुद्धैः (by Buddhas) | अतः (therefore) | तत्-कथा (its discourse) | शास्त्रे (in the treatise) | मध्यमके (Madhyamaka) | विस्तरतरा (very extensive) | मुख्यात्मना (as the main theme) | वर्णिता (described) | कारुण्य-द्रुत-चेतसा (by one whose heart is melted by compassion) | नागार्जुनेन (by Nagarjuna).
Translation
Since this teaching was declared by the Buddhas to be the source of all virtues, it is described in detail as the primary theme in the Madhyamaka treatise by Nagarjuna, whose heart was melted by compassion.
Verse 5
Sanskrit
गम्भीरं जिनशासनं न हि जनो यो वेत्ति तत्संविदे
मौनीन्द्राद् वचसः पृथङ्निगदितुं वाञ्छन्ति तत्त्वं च ये।
अन्ये येऽपि कुबुद्धयः प्रवचनं व्याचक्षते चान्यथा
तेषां चापि निराकृतौ कृतमिदं शास्त्रं हतान्तर्द्वयम्॥ ५॥
Word-by-word
गम्भीरं (Profound) | जिन-शासनं (Conqueror’s teaching) | न (not) | हि (indeed) | जनो (people) | यो (who) | वेत्ति (knows) | मौन-इन्द्रात् (from the Lord of Sages) | वचसः (words) | पृथक् (separately) | वाञ्छन्ति (desire) | कुबुद्धयः (wrong-minded) | व्याचक्षते (interpret) | अन्यथा (otherwise) | तेषां (of them) | निराकृतौ (in refutation) | कृतम्-इदं (this was made) | शास्त्रं (treatise).
Translation
Ordinary people do not know the profound teaching of the Conquerors; for those who wish to explain the truth differently from the Buddha’s words, and for those who misinterpret it—this treatise was composed to refute them.
Verse 6
Sanskrit
स्पष्टं राहुलभद्रपादसहितो नागार्जुनो तन्मतं
देवेनाप्यनुगम्यमानवचनः कालं चिरं दिष्टवान्।
तच्छास्त्रप्रविवेकनिश्चितधियस्तीर्थ्यान् विजित्याखिलां-
स्तच्छिष्या अपि शासनं मुनिवरस्यादिष्टवन्तश्चिरम्॥ ६॥
Word-by-word
स्पष्टं (Clearly) | राहुल-भद्र-पाद-सहितो (along with the venerable Rahulabhadra) | नागार्जुनो (Nagarjuna) | तन्-मतं (that view) | देवेन-अपि (by Deva/Aryadeva also) | अनुगम्यमान-वचनः (whose words were followed) | कालं (time) | चिरं (long) | दिष्टवान् (taught) | तत्-शास्त्र-प्रविवेक-निश्चित-धियः (those with minds certain through the discernment of that treatise).
Translation
Clearly, Nagarjuna, along with Rahulabhadra, taught that view for a long time, his words being followed by Aryadeva. Their disciples, with minds made certain by this treatise, proclaimed the teaching for ages.
Verse 7
Sanskrit
आयाताय शिरोऽर्थिंने करुणया प्रोत्कृत्य दत्त्वा शिरः
संयाते तु सुखावतीं जिनसुते नागार्जुने तत्कृताः।
ग्रन्थाः शिष्यगणाश्च तेऽपि बहुना कालेन नाशं गताः
तत्त्वार्केऽस्तमितेऽधुना न हि मतं स्पष्टं तदस्ति क्वचित्॥ ७॥
Word-by-word
आयाताय (To one who came) | शिरः-अर्थिने (begging for his head) | करुणया (out of compassion) | प्रोत्कृत्य (cutting off) | दत्त्वा (giving) | शिरः (head) | संयाते (having gone) | तु (but) | सुखावतीं (to Sukhavati heaven) | जिनसुते (Son of Conquerors) | नागार्जुने (Nagarjuna) | ग्रन्थाः (texts) | शिष्य-गणाः (groups of disciples) | नाशं (destruction) | गताः (attained).
Translation
When Nagarjuna, out of compassion, cut off and gave his head to a beggar and departed for Sukhavati heaven, his texts and disciples perished over time; now that the Sun of Truth has set, that view is no longer clear.
Verse 8
Sanskrit
उत्प्रेक्षा रचितार्थमात्रनिपुणे दुरंगते सत्पथाद्
उन्मत्तेऽथ निपीय तर्कमदिरां लोकेऽधुना भूयसा।
सर्वज्ञोदिततत्त्वबोधरहिते बौद्धे मते व्याकुले
धन्योऽसौ क्षणमप्यपास्य विमतिं यः शून्यतां गाहते॥ ८॥
Word-by-word
उत्प्रेक्षा (Speculation) | रचित-अर्थ-मात्र-निपुणे (skilled only in artificial meanings) | दुरंगते (gone far) | सत्-पथाद् (from the true path) | उन्मत्ते (mad) | निपीय (having drunk) | तर्क-मदिरां (the wine of logic) | लोके (in the world) | व्याकुले (confused) | धन्यो-असौ (blessed is he) | यः (who) | शून्यतां (emptiness) | गाहते (dives into).
Translation
In a world gone astray from the true path, intoxicated by the wine of logic and skilled only in mental speculation—in this confused state of doctrine, blessed is he who, even for a moment, dives into Emptiness.
Verse 9
Sanskrit
भीत्या वस्तुनिबन्धनोपरचितैर्यः शास्त्रपाशैर्वृत-
श्चित्त्वोत्प्लुत्य च याति वस्तुपरिखां चैको मृगोऽसौ महान्।
तं प्रत्यद्य न चिन्तया मम गुणश्चैकस्तु यो नाधुना
तं प्रत्येव तदन्यशास्त्रमथनी वृत्तिः कृतेयं मया॥ ९॥
Word-by-word
भीत्या (Through fear) | वस्तु-निबन्धन-उपरचितैः (composed of attachments to things) | शास्त्र-पाशैः (by the snares of treatises) | वृतः (surrounded) | चित्त्वा-उत्प्लुत्य (cutting and leaping over) | याति (goes) | वस्तु-परिखां (the moat of things) | मृगो-असौ (that deer) | महान् (great) | वृत्तिः (commentary) | कृता-इयं (this was made) | मया (by me).
Translation
Like a great deer that leaps over the moat of “things” to escape the snares of false treatises, I have composed this commentary for those who wish to transcend the traps of attachment.
Verse 10
Sanskrit
दृष्ट्वा सूत्रसमुच्चयं परिकथां रत्नावलीं संस्तुती-
रभ्यस्यातिचिरं च शास्त्रगदितास्ताः कारिका यत्नतः।
युक्त्याख्यामथ षष्टिकां सविडलां तां शून्यतासप्ततिं
या चासावथ विग्रहस्य रचिता व्यावर्तिनी तामपि॥ १०॥
Word-by-word
दृष्ट्वा (Having seen) | सूत्र-समुच्चयं (Sutrasamuccaya) | परिकथां (Parikatha) | रत्नावलीं (Ratnavali) | संस्तुतीः (Hymns) | अभ्यस्य (having practiced) | कारिका (the Verses/Karikas) | यत्नतः (with effort) | युक्त्याख्यां (Yuktisastika) | शून्यता-सप्ततिं (Sunyatasaptati) | विग्रहस्य (of the Vigrahavyavartani).
Translation
Having carefully studied the Sutrasamuccaya, Ratnavali, the Hymns, the Karikas (treatise), the Yuktisastika, the Sunyatasaptati, and the Vigrahavyavartani…
Verse 11
Sanskrit
दृष्ट्वा तच्छतकादिकं बहुविधं सूत्रं गभीरं तथा
वृत्तिं चाप्यथ बुद्धपालितकृतां सूक्ष्मां च यद्भाविना।
पारम्पर्यसमागतं प्रविचयाच्चासादितं यन्मया
पिण्डीकृत्य तदेतदुन्नतधियां तुष्टौ समावेदितम्॥ ११॥
Word-by-word
दृष्ट्वा (Having seen) | तच्-छतक-आदिकं (the Catuhsataka etc.) | सूत्रं (Sutra) | गभीरं (profound) | वृत्तिं (commentary) | च-अपि (and also) | बुद्धपालित-कृतां (made by Buddhapalita) | सूक्ष्मां (subtle) | पारम्पर्य-समागतं (received through lineage) | पिण्डीकृत्य (summarizing) | तुष्टौ (for the satisfaction) | समावेदितम् (communicated).
Translation
Having examined the Catuhsataka, the profound Sutras, and the subtle commentary of Buddhapalita, I have summarized what was received through lineage for the satisfaction of those with high intellect.
Verse 12
Sanskrit
चिन्तामण्डल एष तर्कमथनः साक्षादिहावस्थितान्
अर्थान् सम्यगनाकुलान् पटुधियां वागांशुभिर्भासयन्।
वृत्तिं स्पष्टतरामिमां च विदधच्चन्द्रोऽधुना कीर्तिमान्
लोकानामुदितो निहन्ति विमतीः सान्द्रान्धकारैः सह॥ १२॥
Word-by-word
चिन्ता-मण्डल (Circle of reflection) | एष (this) | तर्क-मथनः (crusher of logic) | साक्षात् (directly) | अर्थान् (meanings) | भासयन् (illuminating) | वृत्तिं (commentary) | स्पष्टतराम् (very clear) | चन्द्रो-अधुना (Moon now) | कीर्तिमान् (famous) | निहन्ति (destroys) | विमतीः (wrong views) | अन्धकारैः (with darkness).
Translation
This famous “Moon” (Candrakīrti), illuminating the clear meanings with the rays of speech and crushing false logic, has arisen to destroy the dense darkness of wrong views in the world.
Verse 13
Sanskrit
कृत्वा वृत्तिमिमामनाकुलपदां सत्प्रक्रियामादरात्
श्राद्धानां सुधियां न निश्चयविधौ युक्त्यागमापाश्रयाम्।
यत्पुण्यं मम शून्यतेव विपुलं तेनैव लोकोऽखिल-
स्त्यक्त्वा दृष्टिगणं प्रयातु पदवीं सर्वप्रपञ्चच्छिदाम्॥ १३॥
Word-by-word
कृत्वा (Having made) | वृत्तिम् (commentary) | अनाकुल-पदां (with clear words) | सत्-प्रक्रियाम् (noble method) | सुधिया (for the wise) | यत्-पुण्यं (whatever merit) | मम (mine) | शून्यता-इव (like emptiness) | विपुलं (vast) | तेनैव (by that) | लोको-अखिल (the entire world) | प्रयातु (may go) | पदवीं (to the state/path).
Translation
By composing this commentary with clear words and noble method, whatever vast merit I have gained—like emptiness itself—may the entire world, by that merit, abandon all views and reach the state that cuts through all conceptual proliferation.
Verse 14
Sanskrit
शास्तारं प्रणिपत्य गौतममहं तद्धर्मतावस्थितान्
सम्बुद्धान् सकलं जिनात्मजगणं धर्मं च तैर्भाषितम्।
चक्षुर्भूतमनन्तबुद्धवचनस्यालोचने देहिनाम्
योऽमुं मध्यमकं चकार कृपया नागार्जुनस्तं नमे॥ १४॥
Word-by-word
शास्तारं (To the Teacher) | प्रणिपत्य (bowing down) | गौतमम् (Gautama) | धर्मता-अवस्थितान् (established in the nature of Dharma) | सम्बुद्धान् (fully Enlightened ones) | जिनात्मज-गणं (the multitude of Sons of Conquerors) | यः (who) | मध्यमकं (Madhyamaka) | चकार (made) | नागार्जुनस्-तं (that Nagarjuna) | नमे (I bow).
Translation
Bowing to the Teacher Gautama, to the Buddhas established in the Dharma-nature, and to all the Bodhisattvas—I bow to that Nagarjuna who, out of compassion, composed this Madhyamaka to serve as an eye for beings.
Sanskrit
॥ श्री चन्द्रकीर्तिकृता मध्यमकशास्त्रस्तुतिः समाप्ता॥
Translation
Thus ends the Praise of the Madhyamaka Treatise by Chandrakīrti.
Reference: Buddhism