Toh 331The Sūtra of the Moon (2)

Summary

The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾ is
a short text that presents a Buddhist description of a lunar
eclipse. On one occasion, while the Buddha is residing in
Campā, the moon is covered by Rāhu, lord of the asuras,
which causes an eclipse. The god of the moon asks the Buddha
for refuge, after which the Buddha urges Rāhu to release the
moon. Seeing this, Bali, another lord of the asuras, asks
Rāhu why he did so. Rāhu explains that if he had not
released the moon, his head would have split into seven
pieces. Thereafter, Bali utters a verse praising the
emergence of buddhas. Besides being included in the Kangyur,
in the Chinese Āgamas, and the Pali Nikāyas, The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾ was
included in collections of texts recited for protection.

Acknowledgements

Translated by the Pema Yeshé Dé Translation Group. The
translation, introduction, and notes were produced and
edited by Giuliano Proença. The English translation and
ancillary materials were proofread by Daniela Espíndola.
Thanks are due to Karin Kerb for making otherwise
unavailable bibliographical material accessible to us.

The translation was completed under the patronage and
supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the
Buddha.

Introduction

The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾ is a short sūtra explaining how a
lunar eclipse involves the covering of the moon by
the asura Rāhu. While the Buddha Śākyamuni is
staying at the Traveler’s Pond in Campā, the moon is
covered by Rāhu, lord of the asuras. Candramas, the
god of the moon, asks the Buddha for refuge, after
which the Buddha urges Rāhu to release the moon.
Seeing that Rāhu has set the moon free, Bali,
another lord of the asuras, asks Rāhu why he did so.
The asura explains that if he had not released the
moon, his head would have split into seven pieces.
The text concludes with a verse praising the
emergence of buddhas.

The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾ is one of a few closely related texts
in the Kangyur, versions of which are also found in
the Chinese Āgamas and the Pali Nikāyas of the
Theravāda canon. Different versions of this text are
also included in the Paritta and Rakṣā collections,
which have the function of providing both spiritual
and worldly protection through their recitation.

1.33,
one of the Tibetan Pañcarakṣā texts.

Neither the colophons, nor the imperial
catalogs, nor Tibetan historical works mention the
translators of The Sūtra of the
Moon ⁽²⁾. However, the fact that The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾ is
listed in the Denkarma catalog from the early ninth
century confirms that the translation was probably
produced either during or prior to that period,
probably from Sanskrit.

The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾ is available in the Kangyurs of the
Tshalpa, Thempangma, and mixed lines, in independent
collections such as the Phukdrak Kangyur, the Langdo
collection, and the Namgyal Kangyur, and in some
collections from Western Tibet, namely Gondhla and
Tholing. It is also included in Hemis I Kangyur from
Ladakh. All versions of this text are to be found in
the Sūtra section of the respective collections.

The colophons of the majority of the Kangyurs
only indicate the conclusion of the sūtra, but the
Thengpangma texts have the following observation at
the colophon: “It is evident that this and the sūtra
translated by Tharpa Lotsāwa are the same,”
referring to The Sūtra of the
Moon ⁽¹⁾. In the same way, the
colophon of The Sūtra of the
Moon ⁽¹⁾ in the Narthang edition states
that “there is also an early translation,” referring
to The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾. Although the Tibetan texts present
the Sanskrit title Candrasūtra, this title is not attested
in Sanskrit works, but the title Candramaṇḍalasūtra is
documented in a Sanskrit fragment from Central Asia
that lists different sūtras.

In the Pali Saṃyutta Nikāya we find the Candimasutta (SN 2.9),
which is the probably close to the source text for
The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽¹⁾, but differs slightly from The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾. Some passages from the
Chinese Āgamas were translated into Old Uyghur, and
there are two different Old Uyghur renditions of the
verses of The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾ from Taishō 99, both edited by Zieme.
Feer presents the legend of Rāhu according to Hindu
and Buddhist texts, and his translations of both
versions of The Sūtra of the
Moon include extensive notes.

The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾, the Sanskrit fragments edited by
Klaus Wille, and the Chinese canonical translations
in the Saṃyuktāgama would seem to belong to related
textual traditions, while The
Sūtra of the Moon ⁽¹⁾ and the Pali Candimasutta can be
grouped together as representing the Theravāda
tradition. They all share the same basic content,
but the texts differ in wording and in the number of
verses and passages in prose. For example, The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾
has seven verses, while The
Sūtra of the Moon ⁽¹⁾ has only four. Among
them the setting also differs in that only The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾ is
set in Campā, while all the other versions are set
in Śrāvastī. The characters differ too. For
instance, in The Sūtra of the
Moon ⁽¹⁾ and the Pali Candimasutta, it is
Vemacitra who speaks to Rāhu, not Bali, as in the
other versions. Furthermore, Bali is mentioned by
name in Sanskrit and Chinese, but in The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾ he
is addressed as the great son of Virocana. The Sūtra of the Sun is
almost identical in wording to The Sūtra of the Moon ⁽¹⁾ but of course
reads “sun” instead of “moon” and includes one
additional verse, as is the case with the Pali
canonical versions. This extra verse, in which the
Buddha explains how the sun dispels darkness,
corresponds to a verse in The
Sūtra of the Moon ⁽²⁾.

Apart from its role as a text for protection
that shows the Buddha’s power to bring eclipses to
an end, it is noteworthy that linguistic expressions
relating to Indian views on eclipses can be heard in
regions far beyond the influence of Buddhism. In
present-day Turkey, for instance, Jens Peter Laut
has shown the connection between Old Turkish
Buddhist culture from Central Asia with Modern
Turkish expressions such as “the moon was seized,”
meaning that the moon is eclipsed. This same
expression is found in The
Sūtra of the Moon ⁽¹⁾ and the Pali Candimasutta, though
here in The Sūtra of the Moon
⁽²⁾ we find the expression that the moon
“was covered.”

The Translation

The Sūtra of the Moon (2)

Homage to the Three
Jewels!

“I pay homage to you,

Thoroughly liberated, heroic Buddha!

I am in distress.

Please grant me refuge!

“Candramas took refuge

In the Worthy One in the world, the Well-Gone
One.

Therefore, free the moon from Rāhu!

Buddhas have compassion for the world.”

The Blessed One said:

“Rāhu! The moon dispels darkness.

Illuminating the sky,

It is radiant,

Shining with white and pristine light.

Instead of seizing it in the sky,

Instantly release the lamp of beings!”

Then Rāhu, in a hurry,

Covered in sweat, agitated,

And confused like a sick person,

Released the moon.

When the great son of Virocana saw that Rāhu, lord of the
asuras, had very swiftly released the moon, he asked
him in verse:

“Why did you, Rāhu,

Covered in sweat, agitated,

And confused like a sick person,

Hurriedly release the moon?”

Rāhu replied:

“As the Buddha uttered that verse,

If I had not released the moon,

My head would have split into seven pieces,

And even while alive I would not find
happiness.”

The great son of Virocana exclaimed:

“Oh wonder! Amazing is the emergence of
buddhas,

Who see peace!

If they utter a verse,

Rāhu will free the moon.”

This concludes “The
Sūtra of the Moon.”

Notes

Abbreviations

Hi

Hemis II Kangyur

Bibliography

Tibetan Canonical Texts

Related Primary Sources

Western Translations and

References