On the bodhisattva path, commentary (1)
Gandhāra, Kharoṣṭhī ∙ BC 6
BML edition (version 1, Feb 2026)
Based on Schlosser 2022. Paragraph numbering updated.
§ 1.1
rr1 karitava ⟨∙⟩ pariapo uadae ime kadhadhaduaïdaṇa ṇi[c]e [dakṣiśati atva] .. .. + + + + + + + + apar[i]maṇa .. .. [ce a] .. droatie .. .. .. .. .. [a] ..
kuhicaag̱amaṇar2(ku)[h](icagamaṇa) [ca bhaveadi] .. .. [ca] bhaveadi [bhava ca bha]veati ◦
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r1 The subject matter [is] (?): Assuming the hypothetical case that [someone] will consider (?)
these aggregates, elements, and sense bases as permanent, [having] a self (?) … immeasurable
… of bad destination (?) …, [this] would be coming from anywhere, r2 (going anywhere), [this] would be …, [this] would be existence.
§ 1.2
[ta e d]. .. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. + .. .. .. .. .. ⟨∙⟩ [yam ida r](o)[g̱e](ṇa) r3 yam ida gaḍeṇa ⟨∙⟩ yam ida [śaleṇa] ◈ yam ida ak͟hadeṇa ⟨∙⟩ yam ida payeladukh[e]ṇa ⟨∙⟩ [yam ida] .. + + ⟨∙⟩ yam ida jadidukhayava[maraṇa]dukheṇa priaviṇabha[vaa]gradukheṇa ⟨∙⟩ yam ida drude[ś̱a](ja)r4drujaṇasamos̱aṇeṇa ⟨∙⟩ yam ida sakṣiteṇa [yavi dukheṇa samos̱a]ṇeṇa [t]. .. .. .. [yeṇa] .. .. .. .. + .. + + + + .. .. ṇ. .. .. .. [ṇeṇa] ⟨∙⟩ yam ida [dri]ṭha[dha]mi[a]sapara[ia] avarimaṇeṇa dukheṇa [ṇa] ichidava
r5 kadhadhaduaïdaṇi siati ◎
… such as a disease (?), r3 a boil, a thorn, a blow, indirect (?) suffering, …, suffering due to birth––up to––suffering
due to death, suffering due to being separated from loved ones and so on (?), r4 meeting bad people (? coming from) bad places; in brief, encountering [any kind of]
suffering, …, …, [because of all these] immeasurable [kinds of] suffering, related
to the present life or the next, [one] should not wish that r5 aggregates, elements, and sense bases would exist.
§ 2.1
ya [ṇi p]u .u [t]. [a] .. .. .u .. .. .. .u + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. (a)[śa]la c[a aṇa]k͟hada ca siati ⟨∙⟩ ṇa ca avarimaṇa
r6 dukha siati ⟨∙⟩ yas̱a aji hi [de] likhid[a |] droaca ṇa siati ‧
… would be […,] without thorns, without blows. And immeasurable r6 [kinds of] suffering would not exist, as it has just been written. [Any kind of]
misery would not exist.
§ 2.2
ta ṇi .. .. .. .. .. .. ṇ. [i] + + + + .. + + + .u .. .. .. ṇ. .. .. ◈ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. [ca] aspami[a ca]
r7 eka[kalava ca] parimaṇasacea ca akuhicaag̱amaṇaakuhicagamaṇa ca su[di](ṇa) .. .. .. .. .. .. .. abhava ca ⟨∙⟩ ta imeṇa ṇisamartheṇa ṇa [ichidava] siati kadhadhaduaïdaṇa ◎
…, not belonging to anyone, r7 existing at the same time (?), having truth as the [only] measure, not coming from
anywhere, not going anywhere, [being like] a dream, …, non-existence. Thus, because
it is useless, [one] should not wish that aggregates, elements, and sense bases would
exist.
§ 3.1
r8 aha ta ⟨∙⟩ yadi [a]d[a]h[ea] ed[e] dhama dukha ca ṇisamartha ca ⟨∙⟩ eṣ̱a bhude eṣ̱a [pragri](de e)ṣ̱a yas̱a[ve] eṣ̱a tas̱e ⟨∙⟩ [ta kas̱a] ra[g̱a ca doṣ̱a ca upajadi e]vadukhami [eva]ṇisamarthami ◊
r9 t[uo] ca ya ithu jaṇas̱i ◦ kas̱a rajas̱i ca duśas̱i [ca] ⟨∙⟩ ta vucadi ⟨∙⟩ ta ṇa ka a bo .. .. + .. .. .. .. .. .. + + + + + + + + + + [agaḍasaña] ca arog̱a[sa](ña ca) ◊
r10 aśalasaña ca aṇak͟hadasaña ca ◦ ṇicasaña ca a[tva]saña ca jivasaña ca bha[va](saña ca) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
r8 [Someone] says: If [one] accepts [that] these dharmas are painful and useless, [that]
this is true, this is natural, this is as it is, this is real; then how do passion
and hatred arise with regard to such painful [and] useless [dharmas]? r9 If you too understand it thus, how do you become passionate and hateful? It is said:
… a notion [of being] without boils, a notion [of being] without disease, r10 a notion [of being] without thorns, a notion [of being] without blows.
A notion of [being] permanent, a notion of [having] a self, a notion of [having] a
life force,
(a notion) of [being of] existence, …
§ 3.2
r11 śeṣ̱a patade likhidae ◊
r11 The remainder has been written on the reverse [side of the scroll].
§ 4
vv1 aha ta ⟨∙⟩ kas̱a abodhasa upajati ⟨∙⟩ kas̱a baleṇa ⟨∙⟩ ta vucadi ⟨∙⟩ saval[o] .. .. .. ca s[ua] vi[bo] + + [ṇa saṃ]thidomaṇas̱a bhoti ⟨∙⟩ yadi va maṇa[s̱a bh](oti) + + + + .. .. [g̱]. [b]. [ṇ]. paripuṇa ◊
v2 ṇa tatva ṇa [e]g̱a[gracitasa] ṇa avikṣitacita[sa] ⟨∙⟩ mraduamaṇas̱a bhoti ṇa + + th(i)do bahumaṇa bhoti ⟨∙⟩ aña kuś̱a[la]s[a] viarthae ⟨∙⟩ aña [ba]la[va ma ra] amaṇas̱iara akuś̱alasa viv3arthae ⟨∙⟩ ṇa spuramaṇas̱a bhoti ⟨∙⟩ ta rajiadi c[a] duśiadi ca ⟨∙⟩ ya vaṇa spura upajea[di] (ta e)[gra]g̱acitasa aṭ́ha ⊗
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v1 [Someone] says: How does the state of not being awakened arise? How by forceful exertion?
It is said: With forceful exertion and … [one] awakens to (?) happiness, [but one]
does not have a composed mind. Or if [one’s] mind is […] full of …, v2 [there is] no true state, no state of a concentrated mind, no state of an undistracted
mind. [One] has a pliant mind, [but] … no/not … [held in] high esteem. Some [are of
the opinion]: unprofitable for [anything] wholesome. Others [are of the opinion]:
Possessed of forceful exertion (?) … not mentally engaged, [thus at least] unprofitable
for [anything] unwholesome. v3 [One] does not have an agitated mind. Then, [one] becomes passionate or hateful.
But if agitation arises [again], the state of a concentrated mind is unstable (?).
§ 5.1
ya ra[ji]eadi [ca] duśi[e]adi [ca ◊ ya]hi [ñaṇo] ṇa kuḍ̱ae suṭhu
v4 [phaṣa]di ⟨∙⟩ ta [ta]raṇae ca siadi ⟨∙⟩ tatra ca purve bahu taṇua saña karavi[da](e) + + + .. .. [vitra]e ca siadi ⟨∙⟩ tatra ca purve suh[e vi]trasu[a] ṇa karavidae siadi ⟨∙⟩ saïthida ca ◊
v5 pura [vi saṃ]thidae siadi ‧ so ca sa[ṃ]thido matreadi taṇua [e a] .. + + + + + + + + + .. + + s. ṇ. abh[a]v[asa] k[ar]eadi ⟨∙⟩
If [one] becomes passionate or hateful––when [one] touches not the deceitful
[but] the proper knowledge, v4 then this would indeed be for the overcoming [of passion and hatred]. And thereby
the notion, which was plentiful before, (would have been) reduced … and […] would
have been acquired (?). And thereby happiness due to acquired possessions (?), which
was [known as] happiness before, would not have been caused. And also [what was] scattered
(?)
v5 before would have been made composed. And being composed, one would say: “Reduced …,”
… [one] would cause the state of non-existence.
§ 5.2
kicakica hi [ṭ́hi]dig̱ica kar[e]adi prove ya dukha jaṇita tasa dukhasa
v6 vovaś̱amo kareati ⟨∙⟩ t[e] tatra tasa bhaṭareasa suha[saña upaj](e)[adi] ◊
Because [one] would bring to a halt what is to be done and what is not to
be done, v6 [one] would bring to rest what was earlier known as suffering. Thus, thereby, the
master’s notion of happiness would arise.
§ 5.3
[t]. [ṇa a e] + + + + + + [+ + vovaś̱am]o ṇa sa[ṃ]thidomaṇas̱a siadi ⟨∙⟩ yadi va maṇas̱a siadi taṇu sp(u)r[a] ṇa cita eg̱a[g](ra siadi)
v7 ṇa bahumaṇeṇa ⟨∙⟩ yahi aji tahi s[a]va ◈ pada kaṭava ◊ yava aña kica palios̱eṇa ṇa spuramaṇas̱a [bh](odi) ⟨∙⟩ [+ + + ]
… bringing to rest (?) […], [one] would not have a composed mind. Or if [one’s]
mental action would be reduced [but still] agitated, the mind (would) not (be) concentrated,
v7 [and one would] not [be held] in high esteem. Now every word should be done [as above]––up
to––Some [are of the opinion]: [If] what is to be done [is done] with desire (paligodha),
[one] does not have an agitated mind. […]
§ 5.4
ta[tra] kuḍ̱[e]ami rajiadi ca a[ṇ]. + .. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. .. .. + .. ..
v8 + + .. .. .. [ṇi likh]ide [ith]u ⟨∙⟩ ra[jama ja d]u[ś]ama ca ◊ tasva spurami .. .. .. + + + + + + + + [ñ]. [ṇ]. .. .. .. k. .. + [ya] ichiadi ṇa rajaṇa ṇ[a] d(u)ṣaṇa ⟨∙⟩ ma pac̱i vipaḍ̱is̱ara ⟨∙⟩ [aho]
v9 .. [vi] ca ko paḍide ṇisamartha ca dukha ca ṇa par[ica]e ⟨∙⟩ [a]h[o] ṇa ya [v]. + + + + + + + + + + + + .. .. [ṇ]. p. [r]. ◈ [diadi] .. ◈
Thereby in deceitful [knowledge (?) one] would become passionate and … v8 … thus it is written: We become passionate, we become hateful. Therefore, in agitation
… What should be wished for [is] neither the act of becoming passionate nor the act
of becoming hateful.
Do not have cause to regret it later. I (?) v9 … What wise [person] would not let go of [what is] useless and painful? I (?) …