Ten Royal Sūtras

Outline of the Ten Royal Sūtras

by Mipham Rinpoche

Oṃ svasti!
With the right-spiralling conch of auspicious indications,
The medicine that eliminates all the maladies of existence,
And the sweet harmonious nectar that is supreme peace—
May auspiciousness reign forever in the three worlds.

I shall now explain the nature
Of these illusory impressions,
Which appeared to earlier generations,
According to what arose in the clear mirror of my mind.

1. The Heart of Wisdom, the sūtra of profound view, has three parts: 1) the ground, which is emptiness; 2) the path, which is signlessness, and 3) the fruition, which is wishlessness.

2. The Wisdom at the Hour of Death, the sūtra for meditating on the definitive meaning, has three parts: 1) the ground, which is the heroic-march samādhi (śūraṃgamasamādhi), 2) the path, which is the illusion-like samādhi, and 3) the fruition, which is the vajra-like samādhi.

3. The Aspiration to Good Actions, the sūtra for vast prayers of aspiration, has three parts: 1) the cause of accomplishing the aspiration, 2) the nature of the aspiration itself, and 3) the benefits of perfecting the aspiration.

4. The Bodhisattva’s Confession of Downfalls, the sūtra for confessing karmic obscurations, has three parts: 1) the ‘heap’ of prostration, 2) the ‘heap’ of confessing misdeeds, and 3) the ‘heap’ of the total dedication [of virtue].

5. Vajravidāraṇa, the sūtra of cleansing, has three parts: 1) the background, 2) the actual dhāraṇī, and 3) the conclusion, including the benefits.

6. Sitātapatrā, Born from the Tathāgata’s Uṣṇīṣa, the sūtra of dispelling, has three parts: 1) words of truth, 2) the mantra of true meaning, and 3) the unfailing results and benefits of the mantra.

7. The Blue-Clad Lord of Secrets (Vajrapāṇi), the sūtra of protection, has three parts: 1) the methods for the mantra, 2) the mantra that has such methods, and 3) the result of accomplishment from such methods.

8. The Stream of Wealth (Vasudhārā), the sūtra for increasing prosperity, has three parts: 1) the history, 2) the jewel-like dhāraṇī, and 3) the unfailing beneficial consequences that are the effects of the mantra.

9. The One-Syllable Prajñāpāramitā, the sūtra of the essence, has three parts: 1) how the essence arose, 2) the nature of the essence itself, and 3) expressing the greatness of the essence.

10. The Sūtra of Lord Amitāyus (Boundless Life) has three parts: 1) establishing the realm of deathlessness, 2) the dhāraṇī of the drum-sound of deathlessness, and 3) expressing the greatness of the wondrous mantra of deathlessness.

They appeared as if the blessings of the enlightened speech
Of the second buddha of this Snowy Land,
The supremely magnanimous bodhisattva
And champion of peace, had taken form.

Through the virtue of briefly setting down
Their synoptic outlines as a secondary expression,
May all beings attain accomplishment through the study and practice
Of these ten sūtras, which were objects of the king’s own meditation.

May this be a cause for serving the precious teachings of the victorious ones. Siddhirastu! Written on the 23rd of the third month.

| Translated by Adam Pearcey, 2021.

Bibliography

Tibetan Edition

Mi pham rgya mtsho. gsung 'bum/_mi pham rgya mtsho. TBRC W23468. 27 vols. Paro, Bhutan: Lama Ngodrup and Sherab Drimey, 1984-1993. http://tbrc.org/link?RID=W23468 Vol. 8: 219–221

Version: 1.1-20211115