Toh 673The Praise by Indra

THE SŪTRA OF THE PRAISE BY THE LORD OF THE GODS

Background

The sūtra “The Praise by the Lord of the Gods” (The Praise by Indra) is found in the Northern Buddhist canon, the Kangyur, within the Mahāyāna tradition. This is a scripture preserved in the Tibetan canon, reflecting the Mahāyāna approach to the relationship between the gods and the Buddha.

The Lord of the Gods, Indra (Sanskrit: Indra; Pāli: Sakka), is a supreme divine being in the Buddhist system of deities, regarded as a protector of the Buddhadharma and of genuine monastics. Unlike the gods in Hindu belief, in the Buddhadharma Indra is not absolutely supreme, but is only a powerful deity dwelling in the Heaven of the Thirty-Three (Trāyastriṃśa). He is respected for his steadfast support of Buddha Shakyamuni and of those who practice according to the Dharma.

This sūtra belongs to the genre of “praise” (stotra), a form of recitation common in the Mahāyāna tradition, in which gods, bodhisattvas, or disciples chant words of praise for the merit, wisdom, and compassion of the Buddha or a Dharma method. Through praise, practitioners are led into a state of reverence and faith in the Three Jewels.

Main Content

The specific content of this sūtra has not yet been fully translated in the available materials. However, according to the tradition of this type of scripture in the Northern Buddhist canon, “The Praise by the Lord of the Gods” likely focuses on Indra offering profound words of praise to the Buddha or to a bodhisattva.

In similar Mahāyāna scriptures, Indra often praises qualities such as the Buddha’s boundless wisdom, his ability to manifest countless bodies in order to guide sentient beings, the merit accumulated over immeasurable past lives, and the flexible transformations of Dharma methods. Such praises are not abstract concepts, but actual expressions of practice and realized wisdom.