Toh 44-14Chapter 14: The Awakening Through the Tathāgata's Rays of Light
Pāli / Sanskrit:de bzhin gshegs pa'i 'od zer las rnam par sangs rgyas pa le'u/
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The Sutra of Awakening Through the Light of the Tathagata
Background
This chapter belongs to the Kangyur in the Northern transmission, one of the most authoritative collections of scriptures in Tibetan Mahayana Buddhism. The concept of “the light of the Tathagata” (Tathagata-kirana) is a central symbol in the Mahayana tradition, especially in accounts concerning the Buddha of Infinite Light and the great bodhisattvas.
This chapter is set in the context of a collection of scriptures describing the thorough understanding of the Tathagatas, the buddhas who have attained bodhi. According to the Tibetan tradition, this light is not merely a physical phenomenon, but a manifestation of buddha wisdom (buddha-jnana) that penetrates all dharmas throughout the universe. It represents wisdom without any remaining obscuration, the light of the Dharma that connects all sentient beings with the liberating teaching.
Main Content
The sutra describes how bodhisattvas and sentient beings are awakened through the rays of light of the Tathagata. According to the Tibetan Mahayana tradition, when the Tathagata emits light from the urna, the spiritual mark between the eyebrows, or from the whole body, this light not only illuminates the physical realm but also permeates the inner life of those who receive it.
This light carries the nature of the wordless Dharma of emptiness (sunyata) and buddha-dhatu. When the light shines upon them, it awakens the latent faculties within consciousness, helping sentient beings recognize the true nature of things. This is a subtle method of teaching and transformation, needing no words yet fully effective.
This sutra highlights that awakening is not the result of an effort separate from the Buddha, but an awakening opened forth by buddha mind. Bodhisattvas and sentient beings of profound capacity, when touched by this light, naturally open to wisdom, demonstrating that buddha-nature is already present in every sentient being. This is the principle of universal buddha-nature in the Mahayana tradition.
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