You are here: BP HOME > TLB > Nāgārjuna: Ratnāvalī > fulltext
Nāgārjuna: Ratnāvalī

Choose languages

Choose images, etc.

Choose languages
Choose display
  • Enable images
  • Enable footnotes
    • Show all footnotes
    • Minimize footnotes
DiacriticaDiacritica-helpSearch-help
ā ī ū ṛ ṝ ḷ
ḹ ’ ṃ ḥ ṅ ñ
ṭ ḍ ṇ ṣ ś ź
š č ǰ γ    
Note on the transliteration:
The transliteration system of the BP/TLB is based on the Unicode/UTF-8 system. However, there may be difficulties with some of the letters – particularly on PC/Windows-based systems, but not so much on the Mac. We have chosen the most accepted older and traditional systems of transliteration against, e.g, Wylie for Tibetan, since with Unicode it is possible, in Sanskrit and Tibetan, etc., to represent one sound with one letter in almost all the cases (excepting Sanskrit and Tibetan aspirated letters, and Tibetan tsa, tsha, dza). We thus do not use the Wylie system which widely employs two letters for one sound (ng, ny, sh, zh etc.).
 
Important:
We ask you in particular to note the use of the ’ apostrophe and not the ' representing the avagrāha in Sanskrit, and most important the ’a-chuṅ in Tibetan. On the Mac the ’ is Alt-M.
 
If you cannot find the letters on your key-board, you may click on the link "Diacritica" to access it for your search.
Choose specific texts..
Nāgārjuna: Ratnāvalī
    Click to Expand/Collapse Option Complete text
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionTitle
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPreface
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 1
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 2
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 3
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 4
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionChapter 5
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionColophon
Back to library
kadalī pāṭitā yadvan niḥśeṣāvayavaiḥ saha |
na kiṃ cit puruṣas tadvat pāṭitaḥ saha dhātubhiḥ ||1|| 
如分分拆蕉 無餘盡不有
約六界拆人 盡空亦如是 
|| ji ltar chu śiṅ yan lag dag | | ma lus bcas te bśig byas na | |
ci yaṅ med ltar skyes bu yaṅ | | khams bcas bśig na de daṅ ’dra | | 
As the plantain tree, split down along with all its components, is naught,
even so the individual, when split down along with its constituents. 
commentary 
sarvadharmā anātmāna ity ato bhāṣitaṃ jinaiḥ |
dhātuṣaṭkaṃ ca taiḥ sarvaṃ nirṇītaṃ tac ca nārthataḥ ||2|| 
是故佛正說 一切法無我
但六界名法 決判實無我 
chos rnams thams cad bdag med ces | | de phyir rgyal ba rnams kyis gsuṅs | |
khams drug de kun bdag med par | | khyod la gtan la phab pa yin | | 
The Victorious ones said therefore that everything is devoid of self;
they have ascertained the real nature of the constituents [forming an individual] and [shown] that they also are devoid of any reality. 
commentary 
naivam ātmā na cānātmā yāthābhūtyena labhyate |
ātmānātmakṛte dṛṣṭī vavārāsmān mahāmuniḥ ||3|| 
我無我二義 如實撿不得
是故如來遮 我無我二邊 
de ltar bdag daṅ bdag med par | | yaṅ dag ji bźin dmigs su med | |
bdag daṅ bdag med lta ba dag | | de phyir thub pa chen pos bzlog | | 
In this way from the standpoint of the absolute truth [the notion] of a self or of a non-self cannot be conceived.
Therefore the Great Ascetic excluded both views, viz. that of the existence of a self and that of the non-existence of a self. 
commentary 
dṛṣṭaśrutādyaṃ muninā na satyaṃ na mṛṣoditam |
pakṣād dhi pratipakṣaḥ syād ubhayaṃ tac ca nārthataḥ ||4|| 
見聞覺知言 佛說無實虛
二相待成故 此二如實無 
mthoṅ daṅ thos sogs thub pa yis | | bden min brdzun pa min par gsuṅs | |
phyogs las mi mthun phyogs ’gyur na | | de ni gñi ga don du min | | 
The Ascetic stated that whatever is perceived by the senses, viz. is seen or heard and so forth, is neither true nor false.
In fact, if there is a thesis, an antithesis is derived from it, but both thesis and antithesis do not really exist (as per se existent without their contrary). 
commentary 
iti satyānṛtātīto loko ’yaṃ paramārthataḥ |
asmād eva ca tattvena nopaity asti ca nāsti ca ||5|| 
如實撿世間 過實亦過虛
則世間依實 故墮於有無 
de ltas dam pa’i don du na | | ’jig rten ’di ni bden brdzun ’das | |
de ñid phyir na yaṅ dag tu | | yod ces med ces źal mi bźes | | 
Therefore from the metaphysical standpoint this universe transcends both reality and unreality,
and so, in truth, it cannot admit either of existence or of non-existence. 
commentary 
yac caivaṃ sarvathā neti sarvajñas tat kathaṃ vadet |
sāntam ity athavānantaṃ dvayaṃ vādvayam eva vā ||6|| 
若法遍不如 云何佛得說
有邊及無邊 有二與無二 
gaṅ źig de ltar rnam kun tu | | yod min de ni kun mkhyen gyis | |
mtha’ yod mtha’ med gñi ga daṅ | | gñis ma yin źes ji skad bstan | | 
How could therefore the all-knower affirm that this universe, about which no statement is absolutely possible,
has an end or is without an end, is a duality or a non-duality? 
commentary 
asaṃkhyeyā gatā buddhās tatheṣyanty atha sāṃpratāḥ |
koṭyagraśaś ca sattvāntas tebhyas traikālyajo mataḥ ||7|| 
過去佛無量 現來過算數
過數眾生邊 三世由佛顯 
saṅs rgyas graṅs med gśegs de bźin | | byon gyur pa daṅ da ltar bźugs | |
sems can mtha’ ni dus gsum skyes | | bye ba de dag las ’dod ciṅ | | 
“Many Buddhas have gone, will come, or do appear in this very moment.
The notion of a limit as regards living beings in their innumerable series is said by them to be born from the threefold temporal relation.” 
commentary 
vṛddhihetur na lokasya kṣayas traikālyasambhavaḥ |
sarvajñena kathaṃ tasya pūrvānto ’vyākṛtaḥ kṛtaḥ ||8|| 
世間無長因 此際約世顯
世間過有無 云何佛記邊 
’jig rten ’phel ba’i rgyu med la | | zad pa dus gsum du srid na | |
thams cad mkhyen pas ji ltar de’i | | phyin chad luṅ ma bstan par mdzad | | 
“There is no cause for the increasing of the world of creatures; their passing away is determined by the threefold temporal relation.
How could then the Buddha, who is the all-knower, leave this question as regards the commencement or the end of the world unanswered?” 
commentary 
etat tad dharmagāmbhīryaṃ yat tad guhyaṃ pṛthagjane |
māyopamatvaṃ lokasya buddhānāṃ śāsanāmṛtam ||9|| 
由法如此深 於凡祕不說
說世如幻化 是佛甘露教 
so so’i skye bo la gsaṅ ba | | gaṅ yin de ni zab mo’i chos | |
’jig rten sgyu ma lta bu ñid | | saṅs rgyas bstan pa bdud rtsi yin | | 
In this consists the very depth of our doctrine, viz. that it remains a secret for the ordinary people.
The teaching that the world is to be compared with a magic play represents the essence of the doctrine of all Buddhas. 
commentary 
māyāgajasya dṛśyeta yathā janmānta eva ca |
na ca kaś cit sa tattvena janmāntaś caiva vidyate ||10|| 
譬如幻化像 生滅尚可見
此像及生滅 實義撿非有 
ji ltar sgyu ma’i glaṅ po la | | skye daṅ ’jig pa ñid snaṅ yaṅ | |
de la don gyi yaṅ dag tu | | skye daṅ ’jig pa ñid med ltar | | 
We can perceive the birth or the end of an elephant created by magic power,
though in reality, it has neither birth nor end; 
commentary 
māyopamasya lokasya tathā janmānta eva ca |
dṛśyate paramārthena na ca janmānta eva ca ||11|| 
世間如幻化 生滅可見爾
世間及生滅 約實義皆虛 
de bźin sgyu ’dra’i ’jig rten la | | skye daṅ ’jig pa ñid snaṅ yaṅ | |
dam pa’i don du skye ba daṅ | | ’jig pa ñid ni yod ma yin | | 
even so we can see a beginning and an end in this world,
though, from the standpoint of the metaphysical truth, it has neither origin nor end. 
commentary 
yathā māyāgajo naiti kutaś cid yāti na kva cit |
cittamohanamātratvād bhāvatvena na tiṣṭhati ||12|| 
幻像無從來 去亦無有處
但迷眾生心 由實有不住 
ji ltar sgyu ma’i glaṅ po ni | | gaṅ nas ma ’oṅs gar mi ’gro | |
sems rmoṅs tsam du zad pas na | | yaṅ dag ñid du gnas pa med | | 
As an elephant created by magic power comes from nowhere and goes to nowhere,
in so far as, being due to a mere bewilderment, it does not stay anywhere as something existent, 
commentary 
tathā māyopamo loko naiti yāti na kutra cit |
cittamohanamātratvād bhāvatvena na tiṣṭhati ||13|| 
 
de bźin sgyu ’dra’i ’jig rten ni | | gaṅ nas ma ’oṅs gar mi ’gro | |
sems rmoṅs tsam du zad pas na | | yaṅ dag ñid du gnas pa med | | 
even so, this universe like a magic play comes from nowhere and goes to nowhere;
being due to a mere mental bewilderment, it does not stay anywhere. 
commentary 
traikālyavyativṛttātmā loka evaṃ nu ko ’rthataḥ |
yo ’sti nāsty athavāpi syād anyatra vyavahārataḥ ||14|| 
世體過三世 若爾世何實
誰言說有無 有無實無義 
de ltar dus gsum ’das bdag ñid | | tha sñad gdags pa ma gtogs par | |
gaṅ źig yod dam med ’gyur ba’i | | ’jig rten don du ci źig yod | | 
What is, therefore, in its essence this universe, which, transcending the threefold temporal relation,
cannot be said to be or not to be, except from the standpoint of the conventional truth? 
commentary 
catuṣprakāram ity asmāt sānto ’nanto dvayo ’dvayaḥ |
buddhena hetor nānyasmād ayam avyākṛtaḥ kṛtaḥ ||15|| 
故佛約四句 不記說世間
由有無皆虛 此虛不虛故 
saṅs rgyas kyis ni rgyu ’di las | | mtha’ yod pa daṅ mtha’ med daṅ | |
gñis daṅ gñis min rnam pa bźi | | luṅ bstan ma mdzad gźan las min | | 
Therefore for this very reason, and for no other one, the Buddha left this world undetermined as regards four points,
viz. if it has an end, if it has no end, if it is duality, if it is a unity. 
commentary 
śarīrāśucitā tāvat sthūlā pratyakṣagocarā |
satataṃ dṛśyamānāpi yadā citte na tiṣṭhati ||16|| 
是身不淨相 麤證智境界
恒數數所見 尚不入心住 
re źig lus ’di mi gtsaṅ ñid | | rags śiṅ mṅon gsum spyod yul ba | |
rtag tu snaṅ ba gaṅ gi tshe | | sems la gnas pa ma yin pa | | 
The uncleanness of the body, though it is something material and perceivable,
does not abide in the mind, though it is continually under our eyes; 
commentary 
tadātisūkṣmo gambhīraḥ saddharmo ’yaṃ anālayaḥ |
apratyakṣaḥ kathaṃ citte sukhenāvatariṣyati ||17|| 
況正法微細 甚深無依底
難證於散心 云何可易入 
de tshe dam chos gnas med pa | | phra rab mṅon sum ma yin pa | |
zab mo de go ji lta bur | | sems la bde blag ’char bar ’gyur | | 
how, then, could this perfect doctrine, extremely subtle and deep
and devoid of any support, easily descend into our mind? 
commentary 
sambudhyāsmān nivṛtto ’bhūd dharmaṃ deśayituṃ muniḥ |
durjñānam atigāmbhiryāj jñātvā dharmam imaṃ janaiḥ ||18|| 
故佛初成道 捨說欲涅槃
由見此正法 甚深故難解 
chos ’di zab phyir skye bo yis | | śes par dka’ bar thugs chud de | |
des na thub pa saṅs rgyas nas | | chos bstan pa las log par gyur | | 
This is why the ascetic, after having realized this doctrine, declined, at the first moment, to preach it;
he knew in fact that this very doctrine is very difficult to be understood by common people on account of its depth. 
commentary 
vināśayati durjñāto dharmo ’yam avipaścitam |
nāstitādṛṣṭisamale yasmād asmin nimajjati ||19|| 
若法非正了 即害不聰人
由不如執此 墮邪見穢坑 
chos ’di log par śes gyur na | | mi mkhas rnams ni chud kyaṅ za | |
’di ltar med par lta ba yi | | mi gtsaṅ der ni byiṅ bar ’gyur | | 
If this doctrine is not well understood it causes the ruin or the unintelligent man,
since he sinks into the impurity of nihilism. 
commentary 
aparo ’py asya durjñānān mūrkhaḥ paṇḍitamānikaḥ |
pratikṣepavinaṣṭātmā yāty avīcim adhomukhaḥ ||20|| 
人識法不明 由自高輕法
起謗壞自身 下首墮地獄 
gźan yaṅ de ni log bzuṅ nas | | blun pa mkhas pa’i ṅa rgyal can | |
spoṅ bas ma ruṅs bdag ñid can | | mnar med par ni spyi’u tshugs ’gro | | 
Some other fools who think themselves to be wise do not understand it properly,
and therefore fall head down into the hell of Avīci, being ruined by their criticism against the perfect doctrine. 
commentary 
Permanent link
Go to Wiki Documentation
Enhet: Det humanistiske fakultet   Utviklet av: IT-seksjonen ved HF
Login