佛吉祥德讚

I now take refuge in the Buddha, the World-Honored One

Extolling supreme the manifold merits

Spoken at the right time, the proper moment, without error

Words true, words of Dharma, words of right meaning

Right speech, tranquil speech, words free of self

Revealing the meaning of the foremost ultimate truth

Appearing in many bodies, seen everywhere

Blessed are they who can behold the shining light

Opening for sentient beings the eye of wisdom

Shattering the dark obscurity of delusion

The Ten Powers, true and real, arise from this

Even unto the supreme cool and refreshing ground

The Four Fearlessnesses are all complete

Creating great light, bearing a lamp that illumines

Unveiling the radiance that shines forth

So that they may clearly know the place of brightness

Giving rise to the firm practice of diligence

Diminishing none of all the merits

Sakya, whose great voice is like the Lion's

Skillfully speaking that unbound Dharma

The world praises the Dharma yet cannot defile it

Supreme, pure, together with great compassion

Brahma the King, Sakra, Vaisravana

Together with the devas ever pay reverence

The Buddha skillfully speaks words of parable

Sweet and beautiful, profound and far-reaching, vast

By right cause, in accord with principle, the voice of liberation

And skillfully knowing all sounds

Vast and pure like empty space

Supreme, born of the royal lineage

The Buddha is bright like the sun and moon

Devas, humans, and Asuras make offerings

Attaining the precious Seven Factors of Enlightenment

Establishing the supreme abode of the Dharma-treasure

The foolish and dull are forthwith enlightened

Golden radiance shining upon his beautiful body

Supreme among beings, most precious in the world

Severing greed, hatred, delusion, and defilement

That one is like the precious white lotus

That one rivals and surpasses the lotus in beauty

Purifying birth-and-death, sorrow, grief, and affliction

Ignorance and arrogance are all wholly removed

Departing from the suffering of strife and litigation

Forever severing the various defiling causes

Together receiving the Dharmas beyond conception

Leading us to that place, the Dharma-banner

Turning the wheel of Dharma to benefit the multitude of beings

Extinguishing the path of birth-and-death and all the sufferings

That samadhi is water settled, truly pure

Like the ocean, holding deep without bottom

Able to remove the parching thirst, the source of craving

Therefore complete with the water of merit

Those who behold all beings rejoice in heart

In every place clinging to nothing

Skillfully forsaking this body for the sake of sentient beings

Toward foe and kin, both kinds, all equal

Like true gold, only then radiating light

His tongue compared to the lotus, truly pure

His body's light shines wondrous, growing brighter still

Steadfast as gold and like lightning

Diligence, fine and subtle, taken as foremost

Abiding in the place of Samadhi

Wisdom penetrating at the crown of the head

One by one manifesting marks of adornment

The Tathagata, valiant, the Fearless One

All things, vast and far, wholly penetrated

Able to shatter the power of Mara like a mighty elephant

Skillfully speaking the supreme teaching of non-self in all dharmas

Abiding at peace, delighting in patience

Severing all the bonds of craving

Right knowledge firmly established, knowing with certainty

Wisdom vast and deep, surpassing wisdom

Supreme, hard to find, the Udumbara flower

Endowed with a hundred thousand kinds of great merit

The Tathagata, Holy Honored One, hard to meet

Complete with boundless Dharma-merits

As the earth can hold the various seeds

Settled, tranquil, and vast

The Tathagata's wisdom is likewise so

Complete with boundless Dharmas of merit

Stainless, undefiled, of pure root

Bathing the body and mind of the Tamer

Leading sentient beings across to the other shore

Solely speaking the right Dharma to save the world

The thirty-two marks are all complete

The eighty fine features adorn him further

A hundred blessings complete throughout his body

Vast and lofty, hard to compare

In all dharmas he attains sovereign freedom

Revealing purity in the clear meaning

His wisdom can illumine all realms

The Vajra-wisdom shatters the afflictions

And skillfully can subdue the worldly realm

Awakening hope, that nature is removed

Counteracting the afflictions wholly without remainder

Vast eloquence, without hindrance

Giving, keeping precepts, and patience

Diligence, meditation, together with wisdom

The Paramitas are all perfectly fulfilled

The seer Asita ever made offerings

The merit of the Buddha is high as a mountain

His merit accumulated like the waters of the sea

Awakening self and awakening others, his practice perfected

The Sravakas of the ten directions are all stirred

Boundless are his words and discourses, boundless his virtue

Unhindered eloquence, again boundless

The Buddha, of all-encompassing wisdom, the Unsurpassed One

I take refuge in the Buddha as the One of Great Kindness

I take refuge in the One who skillfully aids the world

In accord with all dharmas, all clearly heard

That wisdom penetrates all the Dharma-gates

I bow my head to the Supreme One who clearly knows the Dharma

First clearly knowing of himself, beholding all dharmas

Attaining the unsurpassed Great Bodhi

Then delivering sentient beings, their benefit likewise

I bow my head to the One Truly Awakened to self and other

Truly and clearly knowing the holy practices

Unbroken, hard to sever is that strength of form

Complete in clarity and brightness, again all-pervading

I bow my head before the One who cultivates the holy practice

Never losing the Dharma, then abiding at peace

Valiant and firm, the Supreme One

The Buddha's mind is vast, truly boundless

Wholly able to illumine the natures of joy and suffering

The Buddha, for being supremely good, the Tamer

Again is called the unsurpassed Twice-Honored One among the two-legged

Among all Sramanas, the Great Sramana

I bow my head to the Sramana free of error

The Buddha has fully cultivated the holy practices

Able to be the world's great king of medicine

Again, for being the One who can behold liberation

I bow my head to the Revered Teacher of Great Wisdom

Tamed, tranquil, near to tranquility

Abiding in the supreme mind that is tamed

Entering the gate of the foremost meaning

Having bowed my head, then reaching the pure cool ground

All join their palms together in reverence

Only then receiving the offerings of devas and humans

Deeply, for devas and humans, the field of blessings bestowed

I take refuge in the Unsurpassed One, born of blessings

Knowing the Dharma, knowing the meaning, knowing the measure of time

Truly knowing himself and again knowing others

The root-natures of self and other, all clearly known

Clearly knowing here and there, every place of attachment

Samahita, the senses tranquil

All deeds performed are wholly complete

The precepts and prohibitions complete, truly beyond compare

I bow my head to the great power of Samadhi

Abiding in the unceasing Samadhi

Without opposition, without contrariety, free of all perils

Again neither high nor low, the mind of equanimous renunciation

The bonds of continued rebirth all departed from

Like Mount Sumeru, the mind settled at peace

Wisdom non-retrogressing, all accomplished

Throughout every place, wisdom ever follows

I bow my head to the wisdom unsurpassed and undying

Clearly knowing all dharmas, what could surpass it

The Buddha is the One lovely to behold, good to behold

Knowing love, good love, virtue boundless

I bow my head to the One for whom love and anger are equal

His supreme dignity, all joyful and dear

Complete with the wondrous and rare eloquences

Eloquence according with intent, shattering delusion

I bow my head to the One who proclaims, the speaker of right speech

His renown spreads vast and wide, again rare

Throughout the three realms all hear and know

The wise of the world, according to their questions

The Buddha well answers all, concealing nothing

The Buddha's marks and dignity have no equal

Beholding the multitude of beings, his mind suited to their needs

Causing the world to bring forth joy and love

I bow my head to the One who skillfully bestows joy upon others

Swift is his speech, never repeating

Equal, beyond compare, without distinction

Of complete savor, the voice pure and wondrous

I bow my head to the speech beyond all comparison

The Buddha in the world is the One of wisdom

And again the Supreme One among the Sages

The world's other views all cannot arise

I bow my head to the One who has far departed from wrong, scattered thought, and false discernment

Even sorrow, grief, and affliction

All defiling dharmas are wholly removed, none remaining

Frivolity and turbulent confusion all do not arise

I bow my head to the One who has far departed from all errors

When the Tathagata is slandered, his mind is not lowered

When the Tathagata is praised, his mind is not raised

His extolling is equal, his wisdom serene

I bow my head to the One undefiled by praise or blame

Calm before high and low, defilement and purity

Dharmas of suffering, dharmas of joy, together with love and anger

The Buddha's wisdom is undefiled, again without error

I bow my head to the Tathagata, the One of good speech

When beings speak ill, it means nothing to him

The Tathagata skillfully covers it, not laying it bare

Practicing all the dharmas of giving, embracing the world

I bow my head to the upright and true, the One who skillfully speaks

When the wicked speak ill, all is offensive

The Buddha's mind does not stir, truly serene

Words good and words ill, all without error

I bow my head to the One for whom love and anger are equal

Yellow gold, lapis lazuli, together with pearls

These are the most precious things of the world

The Tathagata has departed from the mind of greed and craving

Regarding them as grass, wood, earth, and stone

The Tathagata has departed from the three kinds of pride

This mind is at peace and serenely still

Bedding, sleeping-gear, and precious things

Seeing those who come to beg, he gives to them all

With gain or no gain, neither glad nor sad

To the contemptuous as well he gives rise to the mind of joyful renunciation

Sorrowless, afflictionless, neither do these arise

I bow my head to the wise One who shatters false dharmas

And skillfully departs from all disturbances and afflictions

Ever speaking with the good, drawing near

Not speaking the world's words of gain and support

And again not speaking any false and empty words

His speech according to intent, again sovereign

His speech tranquil, departed from joy and delight

His speech pure and single, clean without defilement

I bow my head to the speech of the tranquil and pure One

His speech sweet yet undefiled

His speech able to subdue all Maras

His speech resolute, departed from the world

I bow my head to the One departed from all unwisdom

And skillfully departed from inverted views

Again departed from frivolity and the conditions of turbulent confusion

Again departed from all non-language

I bow my head to the One of good speech who embraces and transforms

Ever without flattery, without deceit

In accord with purity, the mind true and real

Vastly fostering loving reverence, truly not empty

I bow my head to the One who carries us past the peril of birth-and-death

All deeds are accomplished

This is the gate of entry and exit of the right Dharma

Those who behold rejoice, the One of the World

I bow my head and take refuge in the pure One

I take refuge in the One who skillfully speaks the teachings

According to need, unwavering, removing the afflictions

Rightly and well clearly knowing the gate of escape

Reaching the realization of Bodhi, the true Dharma

Unbroken and surpassing, returning to the Dharma

Skillfully teaching the world the gate of tranquility

Even unto the wide proclaiming of the right Dharma

The Dharma of benefit for devas, humans, and the world

The Tathagata has spoken the Dharma-words

Departed from those defilements of love and desire bound to sound

Voices not tamed must forthwith be removed

I bow my head to the One who skillfully speaks the Dharma to teach others

The Tathagata ever cultivates the pure livelihoods

His mind unstirred and unconfused, truly serene

In the three realms, with equanimity he holds his mind in mindfulness

I bow my head to the Able Sage, of the three non-guardings

The Buddha has severed words of doubt and confusion

Equal in station, ever in his deeds

Nirvana not different from the gate of surpassing love

I bow my head to the vast One who has entered the realization

The Buddha, for being supreme, the One who has conquered the Path

Complete with the multitude of virtues, the One of devas and humans

Spiritual powers and skillful means all perfectly fulfilled

I bow my head to the One who has attained all sovereign freedoms

I bow my head and take refuge in the One complete in virtue

The Ten Titles complete, beyond all comparison

Tathagata, Worthy of Offerings, Perfectly Enlightened One

Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, the Well-Gone One

Knower of the World, the Unsurpassed One

Tamer of Beings, Teacher of Devas and Humans

The title Buddha, the World-Honored One, are all proclaimed

Therefore I now again praise and revere him

The Tathagata, undefiled, without arousing

Departing from the womb, born supreme

Able to fulfill the prayers and wishes of sentient beings

I bow my head to the One who skillfully embraces all dharmas

Manifesting birth, pure, in the royal lineage

Vastly endowed with wealth, nobility, and the utmost height

All forsaken to go forth into homelessness

I bow my head to the One who lowers his mind, departed from pride

Complete with the supreme array of colors

Upright and dignified, his fine marks delighting all who behold

The world's various pleasures all left behind

I bow my head to the pure One who tells of liberation

His precepts and discipline pure, without any defect

As he can speak, so too he can do

Of great wisdom, great insight, the great holy one

I bow my head to the One who, sharing in their deeds, embraces and subdues

The Buddha's words are clear and transparent

Severing greed and desire, error does not arise

All defiling dharmas are wholly cast away

Proclaiming the right cause, the words of right action

Speaking of deeds and doing, departed from bondage

Ever taking good and gentle words to expound

Those Sramanas and Brahmins

The Tathagata ever speaks lofty words

His countenance full and round, departed from grief

Aright he guides the way, all serene

Excellent indeed, his good words embracing sentient beings

I bow my head to the One who speaks aright, embracing what is amiss

All employed with words, wholly complete

The fearless karma of speech, well proclaimed

Words profound, right speech, the language of wisdom

I bow my head to the Tathagata who halts evil words

The Buddha speaks without attachment, not clinging

And again without error in his words

Therefore his words are truly boundless

I bow my head to the One who can fully exhaust speech

Using words fine and beautiful, skilled in eloquence

Benefiting and compassionate toward all sentient beings

Vastly teaching sentient beings the place of taming

I bow my head to the holy Dharma, the nature of taming

The Buddha is the One who tames by the right Dharma

Departed from the dust of all dharmas, the One who tames

Beyond compare is the Dharma-gate of the Master of Taming

Taking immeasurable dharmas, the One who tames

The Tathagata's precepts are complete and alike

Concentration and insight complete, again without error

Liberation complete, the root fundamentally the same

The knowledge and vision of liberation, all without difference

The holy, right, and auspicious One, the Greatly Awakened

The supreme Taming, of one and the same gate

Ever in the forests and mountains, he halts all conditions

According to his will, sitting or lying, he rests at ease

Using the mark of non-harming to expound the Dharma

The mark of no deceit to expound the Dharma

The mark of no movement to expound the Dharma

Manifesting the mark of escape to expound the Dharma

Severing the mark of samsara to expound the Dharma

The lovable mark of Nirvana to expound the Dharma

The mark of that freedom from suffering to expound the Dharma

The mark of the good self-nature to expound the Dharma

The mark of benefit to the world to expound the Dharma

The mark of departing from wrong views to expound the Dharma

The mark of same and different birth to expound the Dharma

The mark of the unchanging continuum to expound the Dharma

I bow my head to the mark of non-abiding to expound the Dharma

Illumining the true and upright meaning

Both Dharma and wisdom are truly so

Explaining clearly the meaning, shattering doubt and confusion

Expounding the Dharma clearly, skillfully discerning

Equal, high and low, accordingly he speaks

The right path and the wrong path are forthwith clearly distinguished

Benefit or not, all clearly known

Whether good or not good, all discerned

Penetrating the right teaching and the wrong teaching

His merit complete already, the excess forthwith discarded

Able to use the good Dharma to shatter the evil paths

Amid joy, by skillful means, speaking of what is not joy

The world's arising and ceasing clearly seen as true

Skillfully speaking the supreme Dharma-treasures

The Tathagata teaches the most true words

In the three realms what he undertakes he can accomplish

The good paths and evil paths all clearly known

Good and ill therein clearly without confusion

Clearly knowing release from bondage, the nature as it has always been

And skillfully able to speak of the binding and the loosing

The wrong and right, defiled and pure, forthwith all clear

The meaning of good and not good, all clearly known

And skillfully complete in the supreme good

Those complete in good deeds are all extolled

Rescuing all from the places of suffering

The Tathagata, out of compassion, the single medicine

I bow my head to the supreme One among devas and seers

Undefiled, profound, delighting in meditation

Giving rise to no resentment, his mind loving and dear

Vowing to deliver the deluded from the sea of greed and desire

His own body widely delivering all forms

Ultimate and perfectly fulfilled, all proclaimed

Supreme in the three realms, therefore worthy of offerings and reverence

I now take refuge — beyond the telling in full.

In Praise of the Auspicious Virtue of the Buddha

End of the Upper Scroll