Fó shuō qīngjìngxīn jīng 佛說清淨心經
The Buddha Speaks: The Sūtra of the Pure Mind translated by 施護 (Shīhù, Dānapāla, et al., 等譯)
About the work
T803 in one fascicle is a very brief doctrinal sūtra on the cultivation of the citta-pariśuddhi (“pure mind”) through the abandonment of the five hindrances (五蓋 pañca-nīvaraṇa) and the cultivation of the seven factors of awakening (七覺支 sapta-bodhy-aṅga). It was translated at the Sòng Institute for the Translation of Sūtras at Kāifēng by 施護 (Shīhù, Dānapāla) and his team (等譯), between the Institute’s inauguration in 982 and Shīhù’s death in 1017. The colophon’s full title — 西天譯經三藏朝奉大夫試光祿卿傳法大師賜紫沙門臣施護 — reflects the elaborate honorifics of the Sòng translation establishment.
Abstract
The Buddha at the Jetavana addresses the bhikṣus on the practice of attaining the pure mind (清淨心): they must abandon five things and cultivate seven. The five hindrances to be abandoned are: (1) sensuous desire (kāmacchanda, 貪欲); (2) ill-will (vyāpāda, 瞋恚); (3) sloth-and-torpor (styāna-middha, 昏沈睡眠); (4) restlessness-and-remorse (auddhatya-kaukṛtya, 掉悔); (5) doubt (vicikitsā, 疑). The seven factors to be cultivated are: (1) dharma-pravicaya (擇法覺支); (2) smṛti (念覺支); (3) vīrya (精進覺支); (4) prīti (喜覺支); (5) praśrabdhi (輕安覺支); (6) samādhi (定覺支); (7) upekṣā (捨覺支).
The Buddha then explains that the “pure mind” is a synonym for mind-liberation (ceto-vimukti, 心解脫) and wisdom-liberation (prajñā-vimukti, 慧解脫). The mind is rendered impure by rāga-defilement and the wisdom by avidyā-defilement; cutting off rāga yields ceto-vimukti, cutting off avidyā yields prajñā-vimukti. The bhikṣu who has separated from rāga-defilement and attained ceto-vimukti is called “one who has achieved bodily realisation” (身作證 kāya-sākṣin); the bhikṣu who has cut off avidyā and attained prajñā-vimukti is called “the trained one” (無學 aśaikṣa). The doctrine corresponds closely to Aṅguttara-nikāya AN 9.64 (or AN 4.94), the Pāli formula for the standard “double liberation” (ubhato-bhāga-vimutti) of the Arhat.
Translations and research
No standalone Western translation located. For the ubhato-bhāga-vimutti doctrine see:
- Bodhi, Bhikkhu. The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2012.
- de La Vallée Poussin, Louis. “Les deux, les quatre, les trois vérités.” Mélanges chinois et bouddhiques 5 (1936–37): 159–187.
Links
- CBETA online
- Kanseki DB
- Dazangthings date evidence (1000): [ T ] T = CBETA [Chinese Buddhist Electronic Text Association]. Taishō shinshū daizōkyō 大正新脩大藏經. Edited by Takakusu Junjirō 高楠順次郎 and Watanabe Kaigyoku 渡邊海旭. Tokyo: Taishō shinshū daizōkyō kankōkai/Daizō shuppan, 1924-1932. CBReader v 5.0, 2014. https://dazangthings.nz/cbc/source/1/