Praise of Stūpas at Eight Great Places
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Eight Stūpas
Courtesy of Himalayan Art Resources
In Praise of the Stūpas at the Eight Great Sacred Places
by Ārya Nāgārjuna
In the language of India: Aṣṭa-mahā-sthāna-caitya-stotra
In the language of Tibet: gnas chen po brgyad kyi mchod rten la bstod pa
Homage to Youthful Mañjuśrī!
First, he sublimely aroused bodhicitta, then
Gathered accumulations for three countless aeons.
He awakened in Bodhgayā, and tamed Māra—
Homage to the Stūpa of Great Awakening.
He was born at Kapilavastu, the ground of Dharma,
From his mother Māyā to the Śākya Clan of Śuddhodana.
She stood as he emerged from her right hip, into Brahmā’s arms—
Homage to the Stūpa, Source of Auspiciousness.
He went for alms around Vārāṇasī,
And tamed Bimbisāra’s mad elephants
With the touch of a finger—
Homage to the Stūpa of Taming a City.
While he pondered upon a grassy field,
Hanuman offered him sweet honey, but then
Died at a well and was reborn among the thirty-three—
Homage to the Stūpa, Source of Compassion.
Brahmā offered a wheel and he turned it.
He tamed six extremist teachers through his might,
And pleased gods and humans with myriad emanations—
Homage to the Stūpa of Displaying Miracles
He was revered by a host of nāgas,
Like Nanda, and received milk from a maiden.
He subjugated all the world and its teachings—
Homage to the Stūpa of Twenty-Four Victors.
A host of bodhisattvas, pratekyabuddhas,
Śrāvakas, and arhats surrounded him, and
He inducted them into vows and ethics—
Homage to the Stūpa of Purity.
From the thought to tame transient beings
To his descent from heaven, all deeds were complete.
Cunda offered a meal; he passed three months later.
Homage to the Stūpa of the Deed of Nirvāṇa.
Thus concludes the Praise to the Stūpas at the Eight Great Sacred Places, Composed by the Mahācārya, Ārya Nāgārjuna.
| Samye Translations (trans. Monica Thunder and Peter Woods).
Bibliography
Tibetan Edition
Nāgārjuna (klu sgrub). gnas chen po brgyad kyi mchod rten la bstod pa. Toh 1134. sde dge bstan 'gyur. Vol. 1 (bstod tshogs, ka): folios 82a3-82b3.
Version: 1.0-20230907
