Toh 219The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations”

Summary

The Buddha teaches how to become free of karmic obscurations and accomplish aspirations through a recitation that should be
done three times during the day and three times at night. In that recitation one confesses one’s bad actions, rejoices in the good
actions of others, and requests the buddhas to teach the Dharma and to not pass into nirvāṇa.

Acknowledgements

This text was translated by Peter Alan Roberts, who translated the text from Tibetan into English and wrote the
introduction. Ling Lung Chen and Wang Chipan were consultants for the Chinese versions of the sūtra. Emily Bower was the project
manager and editor. Tracy Davis was the initial copyeditor. Thanks to Michael Radich for sharing his research on the
sūtra.

The translation was completed under the patronage and supervision of 84000: Translating the Words of the Buddha. Rory
Lindsay edited the translation and the introduction, and Xiaolong Diao, Ting Lee Ling, and H. S. Sum Cheuk Shing checked the
translation against the Chinese sources. Ven. Konchog Norbu copyedited the text, and Celso Wilkinson was in charge of the digital
publication process.

Introduction

Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations presents a prayer used for karmic purification, and
it includes an account of this prayer’s effectiveness during the time of a previous buddha. It relates the story of a woman
named Gaṅgadevī, who, through practicing this sūtra, became a buddha in another realm. In addition to the confession of
negative actions, the prayer describes rejoicing in the good actions of others as a method for accumulating merit, the
dedication of one’s merit to the welfare of others, requesting the buddhas to teach the Dharma, and beseeching the buddhas to
not pass into nirvāṇa. Thus, it contains five of the elements (lacking homage and offering) of the ubiquitous seven-branch
prayer commonly recited in present-day Tibetan Buddhist practice.

The sūtra begins with Śāriputra asking the Buddha how to confess previous negative deeds. The Buddha gives a recitation
that should be done three times during the day and three times at night in order to free oneself from karmic obscurations and
attain whatever is aspired to—from rebirth into a good human family or various paradises, to the attainment of ultimate
wisdom. The Buddha explains that one should also recite the words of rejoicing in the good actions done by others, requesting
the buddhas in all worlds to teach the Dharma, and beseeching them to not pass away. He teaches that this creates greater
merit than any other kind of Dharma practice, and that one should recite a dedication of merit to the enlightenment of all
beings.

Next, the assembly promises to promulgate this sūtra, and Śakra states that it can bring an end to the obscurations of
karma. In response, the Buddha describes a buddha in the distant past named Mahāraśmiskandha and a woman named Gaṅgadevī who
received this very teaching from him. Through her dedication to this teaching, Gaṅgadevī was subsequently always reborn as a
man until she became a buddha by the name of Ratnārci. At present, Ratnārci teaches in a realm a vast distance away in the
eastern direction, and the sūtra states that any woman who hears the name of this buddha will no longer be reborn as a woman.
The sūtra concludes with the Buddha naming the teachings, and all those who are present rejoice.

History of the Sūtra

While the time of its emergence is unknown, this sūtra possibly predates The Sūtra of the Sublime
Golden Light, the longer versions of which include Putting an End to Karmic
Obscurations as their fifth chapter. Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations seems to
have become important as one of the principal recitations used to bring about purification through confession, as evidenced by
several Indian Buddhist works that mention it.
The author of Precious Lamp of the Middle Way recommends its recitation, as does a certain Alaṁkārabhadra. In the eleventh century, Atiśa (982–1054),
also known as Dīpaṁkaraśrījñāna, who came to Tibet in 1042 and is the source of the Kadampa tradition, recommends its
recitation in his Commentary on Difficult Points in “The Lamp of the Path to Enlightenment”
and also does so twice in his Opening a Precious Casket: Instructions on the Middle Way.

Methods to purify the obscuration of karma are a common topic in Mahāyāna sūtras, and this is certainly the case in
The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light. There are three versions of The
Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light in Tibetan: a twenty-one-chapter version (Toh 557), a twenty-nine-chapter version (Toh 556), and a thirty-one-chapter version (Toh 555). The contents of
Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations are absent in the shortest version but are included in
both of the longer versions of the sūtra as their fifth chapter.
The brief introduction and conclusion of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations in its independent
form are omitted in the versions of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, so instead of it being
taught in Śrāvastī, it is, like the rest of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light, taught on
Vulture Peak near Rājagṛha.

The key chapter in The Sutra of the Sublime Golden Light in all three versions is that
which provides a prayer of confession heard by a young man of Rājagṛha who, in a dream, hears that prayer emanating from a
drum. The Buddha then teaches that this prayer is to be recited in order to purify oneself of karmic obscurations. The sūtra
gives other methods of purification, even a purifying bath, and therefore it is not surprising that Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations may have later been included as one of its chapters.

In the Degé Kangyur, Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations is preceded by the similarly
titled The Purification of Karmic Obscurations, and these two
are preceded by Eliminating Ajātaśatru’s Remorse
and The Śrīgupta Sūtra. Both of these deal with individuals who have committed extremely bad
actions—King Ajātaśatru committed patricide and the householder Śrīgupta attempted to assassinate the Buddha—but are able to
be saved from the effects of those actions by following the Buddha’s teachings.

The colophon of Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations states that it was translated
by Jinamitra, Dānaśīla, and Yeshé Dé, which would have been in the early ninth century. This and
chapter 5 of the twenty-nine-chapter version of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light (Toh 556)
are identical, so it appears that the Tibetan translators either incorporated a translation of Putting an
End to Karmic Obscurations into The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light or extracted
its chapter 5 with the addition of a translation of its introduction and conclusion.

The thirty-one-chapter Tibetan version of The Sūtra of the Sublime Golden Light was
translated from Yijing’s Chinese translation. The Chinese version of Putting an End to Karmic
Obscurations, which is titled Da sheng san ju chan hui jing
大乘三聚懺悔經, is very similar to Yijing’s translation
of chapter 5. However, the language of chapter 5 in the Tibetan translation of Yijing’s version differs considerably from the
Tibetan translation from the Sanskrit of the twenty-nine-chapter version (Toh 556) and the present sūtra.

The Translation

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra

Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations

Homage to the buddhas and bodhisattvas.

Thus did I hear at one time. The Bhagavat was residing with a great saṅgha of one thousand two hundred and fifty
bhikṣus and seventy thousand bodhisattvas in Śrāvastī, in Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.

Through the power of the Buddha, Venerable
Śāriputra rose from his seat and with his upper robe over one shoulder, he knelt on his right knee, placed his palms together
in homage, bowed toward the Bhagavat, and inquired of the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or who
has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or who has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who is seeking the highest, most
complete enlightenment of buddhahood, confess their individual karmic obscurations?”

After Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said these words to him: “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble
daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other
being who wishes for the highest most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times each
night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their palms together in homage, and say these
words:

“ ‘For the benefit of many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for
the world, and for the benefit and healing and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, I pay homage to the buddha
bhagavats who in this present time have attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood in worlds in the ten
directions, those buddha bhagavats who conscientiously turn the wheel of the Dharma, teach the wheel of the Dharma, possess
the way of the Dharma, give the gift of the Dharma, light the lamp of the Dharma, send down the rain of the Dharma, beat the
drum of the Dharma, beat the great drum of the Dharma, blow the conch of the Dharma, raise the central pillar of the Dharma,
and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma.

“ ‘I pay homage with my head, voice, and mind to those who are the object of offering, the object of homage, and the
object of respect, and who are wise, who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and who have
vision.

“ ‘While I have been circling in beginningless and endless saṃsāra, tormented by desire, tormented by anger, and
tormented by stupidity, I have accumulated karmic obstructions with my body, speech, and mind. I have not acknowledged the
Buddha, I have not acknowledged the Dharma, and I have not acknowledged the Saṅgha. I have not acknowledged what are good
actions and what are bad ones. With malicious intent, I have caused a tathāgata to bleed, I have forsaken the Dharma, I have
caused a division of the Saṅgha, I have slain a bhikṣu arhat, I have slain my parents, and I have followed the path of the ten
bad actions—the three physical, the four verbal, and the three mental. I have made others commit them, I have rejoiced in
their accomplishment, and I have spoken harshly to certain beings. I have maligned. I have cheated with weights. I have
cheated with measures. I have made my parents unhappy. I have stolen the wealth of individuals, of stūpas, of saṅghas, and of
the saṅghas of bhikṣus in the four directions. I have transgressed the vinaya and the foundations of the training. I have
disobeyed the upādhyāyas and the ācāryas. I have been unpleasant to those who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, entered the
Pratyekabuddhayāna, entered the Mahāyāna, and every other being—I have reviled and beaten them with a mind that is obstinate,
angry, envious, and miserly. I have spoken harsh words to buddha bhagavats, have said that the sublime Dharma is not the
Dharma, and have said that that which is not the Dharma is the sublime Dharma.

“ ‘All of this I individually confess in the presence of the buddha bhagavats who are wise, who are attentive, who are
witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and who have vision. I repent them, I do not conceal them, and I will not repeat
them.

“ ‘Whatever karmic obscurations obscure me—those that will cause me to be in the hell realms, in the life of an
animal, or in the land of the pretas; to be among the hosts of asuras; to not be able to please the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha; and to be born in other
unfortunate existences—that karma will ripen in this body and will not be experienced by anyone else. I confess each one in
the presence of the buddha bhagavats, who are wise, who are attentive, who are witnesses, who are valid, who have wisdom, and
who have vision. I repent them, I do not conceal them, and I will not repeat them.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, in practicing for enlightenment, confessed each of their karmic
obscurations, repenting them and not concealing them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent
them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in the future, in practicing for enlightenment, will confess each of their
karmic obscurations, repent them, and not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic obscurations, repent
them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in the ten directions in the present, in practicing for enlightenment, confess
each of their karmic obscurations, repent them, and do not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my karmic
obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, the future, and the present, in practicing for enlightenment,
confess each of their karmic obscurations, repent them, and do not conceal them, in the same way I confess each one of my
karmic obscurations, repent them, do not conceal them, and will not repeat them.’

“Thus, Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who wishes to attain purity and absence of obscuration in all Dharmas
should in that way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to be reborn like a great sal tree among the kṣatriyas, rich, with great wealth—with great
possessions, with gold, with herds, with many requisites, very happy, and riding in a great carriage—should also in this way
confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to be reborn like a great sal tree among the brahmins, in a family like a great sal tree, that is
rich, with great wealth—great possessions, gold, herds, many requisites, very happy, and riding in a great carriage—should
also in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to be reborn into the same way of life as that of the devas of the Cāturmahā-rāja-kāyika should in
this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to be reborn among the devas of Trāyastriṃśa, with their same quality of life, should in this way
confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“In the same way, those who wish to be reborn into the same way of life as that of the devas of Yāma, Tuṣita,
Nirmāṇarati, Paranirmitavaśavartin, Brahmakāyika, Brahmapurohita, Brahmapariṣadya, Mahābrahmā, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha,
Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Asaṃjñasattva, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, Avṛha, Atapa, or Akaniṣṭha should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal
them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to be reborn among the devas who have arrived in the state of infinite space, the state of infinite
consciousness, the state of nothingness, or the state of
neither perception nor nonperception, with their condition of life, should in this way confess their individual karmic
obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to reach the result of a stream entrant, the result of a once-returner, the result of a non-returner,
or to manifest arhathood, should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that
they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to have the three knowledges, or the six higher cognitions, or the strengths, or the powers, or the
final goal of the śrāvakas, or fame as a very powerful śrāvaka, or to manifest the enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha, should
in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state that they will not repeat them.

“Those who wish to accomplish omniscient wisdom, completely pure wisdom, inconceivable wisdom, unequaled wisdom, and
the wisdom of complete buddhahood should in this way confess their individual karmic obscurations, not conceal them, and state
that they will not repeat them.

“Why is that? Śāriputra, the Tathāgata has taught, ‘All phenomena originate through dependence.’ Because of certain
causes and conditions, there is creation or cessation. The qualities that transcend this have no cessation or end, and they
also do not have the slightest karmic obscuration. They arise from the absence of anything that is composite. Why is that?
Śāriputra, the Tathāgata has taught, ‘All phenomena are empty, have no being, have no soul, have no individuality, are unborn,
are unceasing, and are noncomposite.’

“Śāriputra, all phenomena do not arise from self or have a self. Śāriputra, the engagement
by a noble son or noble daughter in the nature of the ultimate Dharma of no being is called the end of the
continuity of karmic obscuration, and that, Śāriputra, is the confession.”

Venerable Śāriputra then asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the
Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who is seeking the
highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, rejoice in the roots of merit?”

After Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said to him, “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has
entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who is seeking
the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should three times each day and three times each night, with the upper
robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their palms together in homage, and say these words:

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit has arisen from the generosity of beings in the ten directions,
from their good conduct, and from the merit that has arisen from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy that is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete,
perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, superlative, unequaled, and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit is arising from the generosity of beings in the ten directions,
from their good conduct, and from the merit that is arising from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy that is
… and so on, until and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in whatever merit will arise from the generosity of beings in the ten directions,
from their good conduct, and from the merit that will arise from their meditation. I rejoice in that merit with a joy that is
… and so on, until and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the roots of merit possessed by those bodhisattvas in the present who have
first developed the aspiration to enlightenment, in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas during a hundred eons, in
all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas who have attained patience in the birthlessness of phenomena, in all the
accumulations of merit of those who have become irreversible, and in all the accumulations of merit of bodhisattvas who have
one life remaining. I rejoice in them with joy that is … and so on, until and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the good roots of possessing the six perfections that were produced by the
bodhisattva mahāsattvas during their past bodhisattva practice. I rejoice in them with a joy that is sublime, preeminent,
superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the accumulations of merit from possessing the six perfections that will be
produced by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in their bodhisattva practice in the future. I rejoice in them with a joy that is sublime, pre-eminent, superior, complete, perfect,
excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in all the accumulations of merit from possessing the six perfections that are
being produced by the bodhisattva mahāsattvas in their bodhisattva practice in the present. I rejoice in them with a joy that
is sublime, preeminent, superior, complete, perfect, excellent, the highest, unsurpassable, none-higher, unequaled, and that
has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the past,
who for the sake of benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out
of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, attained
the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turned the wheel of the Dharma; taught the wheel of the Dharma;
possessed the way of the Dharma; gave the gift of the Dharma; lit the lamp of the Dharma; sent down the rain of the Dharma;
beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blew the conch of the Dharma; raised the central pillar of the
Dharma; and brought satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which roots of merit were generated by
beings who entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who entered the Bodhisattvayāna, or any
other beings. I rejoice in them with a joy that is …
and so on, until and that has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the future,
who for the sake of the benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out
of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, will
attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turn the wheel of the Dharma; teach the wheel of the Dharma;
possess the way of the Dharma; give the gift of the Dharma; light the lamp of the Dharma; send down the rain of the Dharma;
beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blow the conch of the Dharma; raise the central pillar of the
Dharma; and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which roots of merit will be generated by
beings who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who have entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who have entered the
Bodhisattvayāna, or any other beings. I rejoice in them with a joy that is … and so on, until and that
has no equal.

“ ‘I rejoice with the greatest joy in the conscientious conduct of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas of the present
time in the worlds of the ten directions, who for the sake of the benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many
beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and
humans, have attained the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood; turn the wheel of the Dharma; teach the wheel of
the Dharma; possess the way of the Dharma; give the gift of the Dharma; light the lamp of the Dharma; send down the rain of
the Dharma; beat the drum of the Dharma; beat the great drum of the Dharma; blow the conch of the Dharma; raise the central
pillar of the Dharma; and bring satisfaction to all beings with the gift of the Dharma, through which the roots of merit are
generated by beings who have entered the Śrāvakayāna, beings who have entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, beings who have entered
the Bodhisattvayāna or any other beings. I rejoice in them with a joy that is … and so on, until and that
has no equal.’

“Śāriputra, this is rejoicing’s aggregation of merit. If a noble son or noble daughter rejoices with this merit from
rejoicing, they will generate many incalculable, measureless aggregations of merit.

“Śāriputra, if the beings in not only this trichiliocosm world realm but in as many world realms as there are grains
of sand in the Ganges River were all arhats, whose defilements had ceased, and if a noble son or noble daughter were to serve
them for as long as they lived with clothing, food, medicines when ill, and other requisites, even then someone who rejoices
through this rejoicing would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit.

“Therefore, Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of
buddhahood should rejoice with this kind of rejoicing. A woman who wishes to attain a male’s organs, who wishes to exchange
her female organs for them, should rejoice with this kind of rejoicing.”

When the Bhagavat had said that, Venerable Śāriputra said to the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, I pray that you teach the
accumulation of supplications that illuminates the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the future and gives rise to aspiration in the
bodhisattvas of the present.”

When Venerable Śāriputra had said that, the Bhagavat replied to him, “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has
entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for
the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should
three times each day and three times each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place their
palms together in homage, and say these words:

“ ‘I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time in the worlds of the ten directions have attained the
highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood.

“ ‘Through my paying homage to those buddha bhagavats, and requesting them to turn the wheel of the Dharma, I pray
that those buddha bhagavats, for the sake of benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out
of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and
happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, turn the wheel of the Dharma. I pray that they teach the wheel of the
Dharma. I pray that they possess the way of the Dharma. I pray that they give the gift of the Dharma. I pray that they light
the lamp of the Dharma. I pray that they send down the rain of the Dharma. I pray that they let fall the rain of the Dharma. I
pray that they beat the drum of the Dharma. I pray that they beat the great drum of the Dharma. I pray that they blow the
conch of the Dharma. I pray that they raise the central pillar of the Dharma.’

“Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or
has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should
three times each day and three times each night, with the upper robe over one shoulder, kneel on the right knee, place palms
together in homage, and say these words:

“ ‘I pay homage to the buddha bhagavats who in this present time in the worlds of the ten directions are giving up
their composite life.

“ ‘Through my paying homage to those buddha bhagavats, and requesting them to turn the wheel of the Dharma, I pray
that those buddha bhagavats, for the sake of benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out
of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, turn the
wheel of the Dharma, light the lamp of the Dharma, send down the rain of the Dharma, let fall the rain of the Dharma, beat the
drum of the Dharma, beat the great drum of the Dharma, blow the conch of the Dharma, raise the central pillar of the Dharma,
increase the lamp of the Dharma, and satisfy all beings with the gift of the Dharma.

“ ‘I also dedicate this accumulation of supplications to the highest, most complete enlightenment. I dedicate this in
such a way that it is dedicated to the highest, most complete enlightenment.’

“Śāriputra, this is the accumulation of supplications. If a noble son or noble daughter were to supplicate with this
accumulation of supplications, they would create immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.

“Śāriputra, if a noble son or noble daughter were to make an offering to the tathāgatas of the entire trichiliocosm
world realm filled with the seven jewels, someone who supplicates the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the Dharma would create
immeasurably, incalculably greater merit than that.

“Śāriputra, let alone this trichiliocosm world realm—Śāriputra, if a noble son or noble daughter were to make an
offering to the tathāgatas of as many trichiliocosm world realms filled with the seven jewels as there are grains of sand in
the Ganges River, still, someone who supplicates the tathāgatas to turn the wheel of the Dharma would create immeasurably,
incalculably greater merit than that.

“Why is that? Śāriputra, when in the past I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, I supplicated the tathāgatas to turn
the wheel of the Dharma. It is because of that root of merit
that Śakra, the lord of the devas, and Brahmā, the lord of Sahā, supplicated me to turn the wheel of the Dharma, saying,
‘Bhagavat, we pray that you turn the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many
beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and
humans.’

“Śāriputra, when in the past I was practicing bodhisattva conduct, I prayed that the tathāgatas remain for a long
time. It is because of that root of merit that I have attained the four confidences, the ten strengths of the tathāgatas, the
eighteen unique qualities of a buddha, the four discernments, great love, great compassion, and complete nirvāṇa, and that my
Dharma will remain for a long time.”

When the Bhagavat had said that, Venerable Śāriputra asked the Bhagavat, “Bhagavat, how should a noble son or noble
daughter who has entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other
being who wishes for the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, dedicate their roots of merit in order to gain
omniscience?”

When Venerable Śāriputra had asked that, the Bhagavat said to him, “Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who has
entered the Śrāvakayāna, or has entered the Pratyekabuddhayāna, or has entered the Mahāyāna, or any other being who wishes for
the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, should
three times each day and three times each night say these words:

“ ‘Whatever good roots I have created while circling in beginningless and endless saṃsāra—whatever good roots I have
from giving even a handful of food to the Buddha, to the Dharma, to the Saṅgha, or even to those reborn as an animal, or to
any other being; whatever good roots I have from confession, from supplication, from taking refuge, or from possessing the
basis of the training; whatever good roots I have from individual confessions; whatever merit I have from rejoicing; and
whatever good roots I have from supplication—I gather them all into one, and with a mind that is tamed, liberated, and without
grasping, I bestow all of that together on all beings.

“ ‘Just as the buddha bhagavats, with the unimpeded wisdom of buddhahood, know their giving of the roots of merit to
all beings, I give the roots of merit in the same way.

“ ‘May all beings have jewels in their hands. May they attain the treasury of space, enjoyment that knows no end,
merit that knows no end, Dharma that knows no end, knowledge that knows no end, eloquence that knows no end, the highest, most
complete enlightenment of buddhahood, and omniscient wisdom.

“ ‘I combine into one and unify whatever merit arises from my bestowing the roots of merit on all beings, and I
dedicate it to the highest, most complete enlightenment.

“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and
may we attain omniscient wisdom.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the past, practicing for the sake of enlightenment, dedicated their roots of
merit for the sake of omniscience, in that same way I also dedicate my roots of merit for the sake of omniscience.

“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and
may we attain omniscient wisdom.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the future, practicing for the sake of enlightenment, will dedicate their
roots of merit for the sake of omniscience, in that same way I also will dedicate my roots of merit for the sake of
omniscience.

“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and
may we attain omniscient wisdom.

“ ‘Just as the bodhisattva mahāsattvas of the present, practicing for the sake of enlightenment, dedicate their roots
of merit for the sake of omniscience, in that same way I also dedicate my roots of merit for the sake of omniscience.

“ ‘Through this root of merit may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and may we attain omniscient wisdom.

Just as the Bhagavat Tathāgata Śākyamuni sat upon the Bodhimaṇḍa; remained in the inconceivable, stainless, and
extremely difficult samādhi of buddhahood; defeated evil Māra; and at dawn obtained the amṛta of wisdom that in an instant had
all knowledge, had the view, had realization, had complete enlightenment, and had gained the buddhahood of the path to
deathlessness, in that same way may I and all beings attain the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood. May we
attain omniscient wisdom.

“ ‘Just as the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddhas, including the Bhagavat Tathāgata Amitābha, Varaprabha, Virtue of Light, Puṇyaprabha, Akṣobhya, Siṃha, Śatakiraṇa, Exalted Light Rays, Net of Light, Ratnārci,
Prabhājvala, King of Illumination, Vibhūṣita, Ratnaketu, Dharmadhvaja, and Varāṅga, and other buddha bhagavats who attained
the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood, turned the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit for many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare,
benefit, and happiness of multitudes of beings, devas and humans, in the same way may I and all beings attain the highest,
most complete enlightenment of buddhahood and turn the wheel of the Dharma for the sake of benefit for
many beings, for the happiness of many beings, out of compassion for the world, and for the welfare, benefit, and happiness of
multitudes of beings, devas and humans.’

“Śāriputra, that is the accumulation of dedication. The previous accumulations of merit cannot approach the vastness
of this accumulation of dedication and cannot even serve as an analogy for it.

“Śāriputra, a noble son or noble daughter who obtains this sūtra, learns it, possesses it, reads it, and teaches it
widely to others will develop an even greater, incalculable, measureless accumulation of merit.

“Śāriputra, if all the past and future beings that are in a trichiliocosm world realm were to attain human bodies, and
having gained human bodies, without distinction between past and future, were to each attain enlightenment, and if a noble son
or noble daughter were to serve them throughout their lives with robes, food, bedding, medicine when ill, and requisites in
order to honor them and revere them; and if they were to spend a heap of jewels the size of Sumeru each time they attended
them; and if, when they had passed into nirvāṇa, they were to
create stūpas for them ten yojanas high and made of the seven precious materials—gold, silver, pearls, beryl, crystal, white
coral, and red pearls—and then make offerings to them with parasols, banners, flags, and streamers, then, Śāriputra, what do
you think? Would that noble son or noble daughter generate much merit upon that basis?”

“Bhagavat, there would be much,” replied Śāriputra. “Sugata, there would be much.”

“Śāriputra,” continued the Bhagavat, “a noble son or noble daughter who possesses this sūtra, learns it, recites it,
reads it, teaches it to many people, and prays for the highest, most complete enlightenment will generate even greater merit.
The previous accumulations of merit cannot approach the vastness of this accumulation of merit; they cannot even serve as an
analogy for it.

“Why is that? Śāriputra, it is because a noble son or noble daughter who is established in this practice requests the
buddha bhagavats in the world realms in the ten directions to turn the wheel of the Dharma.

“Śāriputra, I have taught that the giving of the Dharma is the supreme act of generosity.”

Then ten thousand beings within that assembly rose from their seats, and with their upper robes over one shoulder,
knelt on their right knees, placed their palms together in homage, and bowed toward the Bhagavat. They said to the Bhagavat,
“Bhagavat, we will possess this sūtra. We will teach it widely to others. We will maintain its practice. Why is that?
Bhagavat, it is because we are intent upon attaining the highest, most complete enlightenment of buddhahood through that kind
of virtuous Dharma.”

Then Śakra, the lord of the devas, cast coral tree flowers over the Bhagavat and this Dharma teaching. Having
scattered them, he said, “Bhagavat, this is a greatly cherished Dharma teaching that creates the roots of merit for
bodhisattvas and ends the continuity of the obscuration of
karma.”

“It is like that, Kauśika, it is like that,” said the Bhagavat. “Why is that? Lord of devas, I remember that
innumerable eons beyond innumerable eons in the past, there appeared in the world a tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha, one with
wisdom and pure conduct, a sugata, a knower of the world, an
unsurpassable guide who tamed beings, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, a bhagavat named Mahāraśmiskandha.

“Lord of devas, the lifespan of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Mahāraśmiskandha was six hundred million years.
His first assembly of śrāvakas numbered a trillion, and they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased. His second assembly of śrāvakas
numbered ninety-eight trillion and they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased. His third assembly of śrāvakas numbered
ninety-nine trillion and they were all arhats whose outflows had ceased.

“Lord of devas, the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Mahāraśmiskandha was active in order to benefit beings of the
world with its devas, with its Brahmā, and with its mendicants and brahmins.

“Lord of devas, at that time, the female Gaṅgadevī entered the gathered assembly of his followers, and present there
she obtained from the Tathāgata Mahāraśmiskandha this Dharma teaching. She learned it and, having acquired it, taught it to
many beings, and set forth toward the highest, most complete enlightenment. When she passed away, she left behind a female
body and obtained a male’s faculties and was always thereafter reborn among devas or humans, became a cakravartin king
eighty-four thousand times, and then became the Tathāgata Ratnārci.

“Kauśika, even now I see him teaching the Dharma in the east in a trillion buddha realms.

“Kauśika, anyone who hears the name of the tathāgata arhat samyaksaṃbuddha Ratnārci will definitely pass into
nirvāṇa. Any woman who hears the name of the tathāgata arhat
samyaksaṃbuddha Ratnārci, or perceives him at the time of death, will have been in her last female existence.

“Lord of devas, thus this Dharma teaching is the accomplishment of the good roots of bodhisattvas and mahāsattvas,
and the cherishing of the ending of karma’s obscurations.”

Then Śakra, the lord of devas, asked the Bhagavat, “What is the name of this Dharma teaching and how should we keep
it?”

The Bhagavat said to Śakra, the lord of devas, “Kauśika, you should keep this Dharma teaching as Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations. Keep it as The Bodhisattva Piṭaka. Also keep
it as The Ending of Doubt.”

When the Bhagavat had said those words, Śakra, the lord of devas, Venerable Śāriputra, and the world with its devas,
humans, asuras, and gandharvas rejoiced and praised the words of the Bhagavat.

The Noble Mahāyāna Sūtra “Putting an End to Karmic Obscurations” is
concluded.

Colophon

Translated and revised by the upādhyāyas Jinamitra and Dānaśīla, and by the lotsawa Yeshé Dé, the chief editor, and
definitively revised according to the new language reform.

Notes

Bibliography

Primary Sources in Tibetan and Chinese

Secondary References—Kangyur

Secondary References—Tengyur

Other References in Tibetan

Other References in English and Other Languages

Translations

Brahmapurohita