Chandrakirti Quotes

nyan thos sangs rgyas 'bring rnams thub dbang skyes/ /

sangs rgyas byang chub sems dpa' las 'khrungs shing/ /

snying rje'i sems dang gnyis su med blo dang/ /

byang chub sems ni rgyal sras rnams kyi rgyu/ /

Śrāvakas and intermediate buddhas are born from the mighty sages,

And the fully awakened buddhas are born from the bodhisattvas;

A compassionate mind, understanding of non-duality,

And bodhichitta: these are the causes of the victors’ heirs.

Introduction to the Middle Way, I, 1

gang phyir brtse nyid rgyal ba'i lo thog phun tsogs 'di'i/ /

sa bon dang ni spel la chu 'dra yun ring du/ /

longs spyod gnas la smin pa lta bur 'dod gyur pa/ /

de phyir bdag gis thog mar snying rje bstod par bgyi/ /

Love is the seed of this abundant harvest of buddhahood.

It is like the water which causes growth and expansion,

And it ripens into the state of lasting enjoyment,

Therefore at the outset I shall praise compassion!

Introduction to the Middle Way, I, 2

dang po nga zhes bdag la zhen gyur cing/ /

bdag gi 'di zhes dngos la chags bskyed pa/ /

zo chun 'phyan ltar rang dbang med pa yi/ /

'gro la snying rjer gyur gang de la 'dud/ /

Firstly with the thought of “I”, they cling to self,

And then with “mine”, they grow attached to things,

Helplessly, they wander like a turning waterwheel—

To compassion for these beings, I bow down!

Introduction to the Middle Way, I, 3

so so skye bo'i dus na'ang stong pa nyid thos nas/ /

nang du rab tu dga' ba yang dang yang du 'byung/ /

rab tu dga' ba las byung mchi mas mig brlan zhing/ /

lus kyi ba spu ldang bar 'gyur ba gang yin pa/ /

de la rdzogs pa'i sangs rgyas blo yi sa bon yod/ /

de nyid nye bar bstan pa'i snod ni de yin te/ /

de la dam pa'i don gyi bden pa bstan par bya/ /

Those who, when hearing about emptiness,

Are inspired with great joy again and again,

So that their eyes moisten with tears,

And the hairs on their body stand on end,

Possess the potential for complete awakening.

They are the proper vessels for these teachings,

To them one should teach the ultimate truth.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 4 & 5a-c

dngos kun yang dag brdzun pa mthong ba yis/ /

dngos rnyed ngo bo gnyis ni 'dzin par 'gyur/ /

yang dag mthong yul gang de de nyid de/ /

mthong ba brdzun pa kun rdzob bden par gsungs/ /

All things may be seen correctly or incorrectly;

And so it is that they possess a dual identity.

The ultimate is what is seen correctly,

The wrongly seen is superficial truth, it’s said.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 23

skyon ldan dbang can rnams kyi shes pa ni/ /

dbang po legs gyur shes ltos log par 'dod/ /

gnod pa med pa'i dbang po drug rnams kyis/ /

gzung ba gang zhig 'jig rten gyis rtogs te/ /

'jig rten nyid las bden yin lhag ma ni/ /

'jig rten nyid las log par rnam par bzhag/ /

Cognitions that derive from impaired faculties,

Are false compared with healthy sense cognitions.

All that’s apprehended by the six undamaged senses,

Is taken to be true, according to the world.

The rest, according to the world, is false.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 24 cd and 25

gti mug rang bzhin sgrib phyir kun rdzob ste/ /

des gang bcos ma bden par snang de ni/ /

kun rdzob bden zhes thub pa des gsungs te/ /

bcos mar gyur pa'i dngos ni kun rdzob tu'o/ /

The nature of things is obscured by delusion, so it is “all-concealed.”

But this fabrication appears to us as true,

And so the Buddha spoke of it as superficial truth.

Entities that are thus contrived are “relatively” true.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 28

bden pa gnyis su'ang rang bzhin med pa'i phyir/ /

de dag rtag pa ma yin chad pa'ang min/ /

Since they lack true existence on both levels of reality,

These phenomena are neither non-existent nor everlasting.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 38 cd

tha snyad bden pa thabs su gyur pa dang/ /

don dam bden pa thabs byung gyur pa ste/ /

de gnyis rnam dbye gang gis mi shes pa/ /

de ni rnam rtog log pas lam ngan zhugs/ /

Conventional truth is the method;

And the ultimate is its outcome.

Not knowing how the two truths differ,

Your thoughts will go astray.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 80

bstan bcos las dpyad rtsod la chags pa'i phyir/ /

ma mdzad rnam grol phyir ni de nyid bstan/ /

gal te de nyid rnam par bshad pa na/ /

gzhan gzhung 'jig par 'gyur na nyes pa med/ /

The analyses in this treatise are not given

Out of an excessive fondness for debate.

It is not our fault if, in the course of this teaching,

Other philosophical systems come to be destroyed.

Introduction to the Middle Way, VI, 118

nam mkha' med pas 'dab chags ldog par mi 'gyur gyi/ /

'di ni rang mthu zad pas ldog par 'gyur de bzhin/ /

slob ma dang bcas sangs rgyas sras rnams sangs rgyas kyi/ /

yon tan mkha' ltar mtha' yas ma brjod ldog par 'gyur/ /

It is not because they run out of sky that birds turn back,

It is because they lack the strength to keep on flying.

Just so, the śrāvaka disciples and the bodhisattvas,

Can not express Buddha’s qualities, as infinite as space.

Introduction to the Middle Way, XI, 41