[Translated originally from the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama to Classical Chinese by a team led by Sarvāstivāda scholar Gautama Saṃghadeva of Kāśmīra in 398CE.
Translated from the Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka back to Sanskrit by Ramakrishnan Suryanarayanan in 2024-26.]
madhyamāgame saptadharmavarge prathame nagaropamasūtraṃ tṛtīyam.
evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavān śrāvastyāṃ viharati sma jetavane'nāthapiṇḍadasyārāme.
tena khalu samayena bhagavānbhikṣūnāmantrayata—yathā hi, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ saptabhirnagarapariṣkāraiḥ susaṃvihitaṃ bhavati, caturṇāmāhārāṇāṃ nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi, tasmāttadrājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ bāhyaiḥ pratyarthikaiḥ pratyamitraiścābhedyaṃ bhavatyanyatrābhyantarādbhedāt.
kathaṃ ca, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ saptabhirnagarapariṣkāraiḥ susaṃvihitaṃ bhavati?
iha, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare'ṭṭālakaḥ samutthāpito bhavati dṛḍhīkṛtāyāṃ bhūmau, samutthāpito'bhedyo'samprakampyo'bhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya prathamo nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare parikhā khātā bhavati gambhīrā vistṛtā susaṃvihitā sopāśrayā cābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya dvitīyo nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare samantādanuparyāyamārgo viśodhitaḥ samo viśālaścābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya tṛtīyo nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare caturaṅgiṇī senā sannipātitā bhavati, tadyathā—hastikāyo'śvakāyo rathakāyaḥ pattikāyaścābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya caturtho nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare nānāvidhamāyudhaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavati, tadyathā—dhanuśśaraśaktiprāsā abhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya pañcamo nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare dauvāriko mahāmātraḥ sthāpito bhavati paṇḍito vyakto medhāvī śūro dhīro dīrghadarśī, kalyāṇānāṃ praveśayitā pāpakānāṃ ca nivārayitābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya ṣaṣṭho nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prākāraḥ samutthāpito bhavatyucco dṛḍho mṛdlepasudhāliptaścābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. ayamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagarasya saptamo nagarapariṣkāraḥ.
kathaṃ ca, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ caturṇāmāhārāṇāṃ nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi?
iha, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prabhūtamudakatṛṇendhanakāṣṭhaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavatyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. idamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ prathamasyāhārasya nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prabhūtāḥ śālidhānyayavagodhūmāḥ sannihitā bhavantyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. idamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ dvitīyasyāhārasya nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prabhūtaṃ tilamāṣamudgaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavatyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. idamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ tṛtīyasyāhārasya nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi.
punaraparaṃ, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagare sarpistailamadhvikṣuphāṇitamatsyalavaṇavallūraṃ sarvaparipūrṇaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavatyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya. idamucyate rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ caturthasyāhārasya nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi.
evaṃ hi, bhikṣavo, rājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ saptabhirnagarapariṣkāraiḥ susaṃvihitaṃ bhavati, caturṇāmāhārāṇāṃ nikāmalābhi bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhi. tasmāttadrājñaḥ pratyantanagaraṃ bāhyaiḥ pratyarthikaiḥ pratyamitraiścābhedyaṃ bhavatyanyatrābhyantarādbhedāt.
evamevāryaśrāvakaḥ saptabhiḥ saddharmaiḥ samanvāgato bhavati, caturṇāṃ dhyānānāmādhicetasikānāṃ nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī. tasmātpāpīyasā māreṇāsyāvatāro na labhyate, nānuvartate pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, na saṅkleśena saṅkliśyate, na punarbhavāya pratyājāyate.
kathaṃ cāryaśrāvakaḥ saptabhiḥ saddharmaiḥ samanvāgato bhavati?
ihāryaśrāvako śraddho bhavati, tathāgate'sya śraddhā niviṣṭā bhavati, śraddhendriyaṃ pratiṣṭhitaṃ bhavatyasaṃhāryaṃ bāhyena śramaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā māreṇa vā brahmaṇā vā kenacidvā punarloke. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya prathamaḥ saddharmaḥ.
punaraparamāryaśrāvako hrīmānbhavati hretavyājjihreti, jihreti pāpakebhyo'kuśalebhyo dharmebhyaḥ saṅkleśikebhyaḥ paunarbhavikebhyo duḥkhavipākebhya āyatyāṃ saṃsāramūlabhūtebhyaḥ. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya dvitīyaḥ saddharmaḥ.
punaraparamāryaśrāvako'patrāpī bhavatyapatraptavyenāpatrapate, 'patrapate pāpakairakuśalairdharmaiḥ saṅkleśikaiḥ paunarbhavikairduḥkhavipākairāyatyāṃ saṃsāramūlabhūtaiḥ. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya tṛtīyaḥ saddharmaḥ.
punaraparamāryaśrāvaka ārabdhavīryo viharati pāpakānāmakuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ prahāṇāya kuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ bhāvanāyai svacittamutpādayanekāgro sthāmavāndṛḍhaparākramaḥ kuśalamūlabhūtaḥ kuśaleṣu dharmeṣvanikṣiptadhuraḥ. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya caturthaḥ saddharmaḥ.
punaraparamāryaśrāvako bahuśruto bhavati śrutadharaḥ śrutasañcayaḥ. ye te dharmā ādau kalyāṇā madhye kalyāṇāḥ paryavasāne kalyāṇāḥ sārthāḥ savyañjanāḥ kevalaparipūrṇaṃ pariśuddhaṃ brahmacaryaṃ samprakāśayanti, tathārūpā asya dharmā bahuśrutā bhavanti dhṛtā vacasā sahasraśaḥ paricitā manasānuprekṣitā dṛṣṭyā supratividdhāḥ. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya pañcamaḥ saddharmaḥ.
punaraparamāryaśrāvakaḥ smṛtimānbhavati parameṇa smṛtivipākena samanvāgataścirakṛtamapi cirabhāṣitamapi smartānusmartā. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya ṣaṣṭhaḥ saddharmaḥ.
punaraparamāryaśrāvakaḥ prajñāṃ bhāvayatyudayāstagāminīṃ, tathārūpayā prajñayā samanvāgato bhavatyāryayā nairvedhikayā suprativibhaktayā samyagduḥkhakṣayagāminyā. ayamucyata āryaśrāvakasya saptamaḥ saddharmaḥ.
kathaṃ cāryaśrāvakaścaturṇāṃ dhyānānāmādhicetasikānāṃ nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī?
ihāryaśrāvako vivicyaiva kāmebhyo vivicya pāpakebhyo'kuśalebhyo dharmebhyaḥ, savitarkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ prītisukhaṃ prathamaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. idamucyata āryaśrāvakasya prathamamādhicetasikaṃ dhyānaṃ yasya nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī.
punaraparamāryaśrāvako vitarkavicārāṇāṃ vyupaśamādadhyātmasamprasādāccetasa ekāgrībhāvādavitarkamavicāraṃ samādhijaṃ prītisukhaṃ dvitīyaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. idamucyata āryaśrāvakasya dvitīyamādhicetasikaṃ dhyānaṃ yasya nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī.
punaraparamāryaśrāvakaḥ prītervirāgādupekṣako viharatyanapekṣaḥ, smṛtimānsamprajānansukhaṃ ca kāyena pratisaṃvedayate yattadāryā ācakṣate—āryayopekṣayā smṛtimānsukhavihārīti, śūnyaṃ tṛtīyaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. idamucyata āryaśrāvakasya tṛtīyamādhicetasikaṃ dhyānaṃ yasya nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī.
punaraparamāryaśrāvakaḥ sukhasya ca prahāṇādduḥkhasya ca prahāṇātpūrvameva saumanasyadaurmanasyayorastaṅgamādaduḥkhāsukhamupekṣāsmṛtipariśuddhaṃ caturthaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. idamucyata āryaśrāvakasya caturthamādhicetasikaṃ dhyānaṃ yasya nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī.
evamāryaśrāvakaḥ saptabhiḥ saddharmaiḥ samanvāgato bhavati, caturṇāṃ dhyānānāmādhicetasikānāṃ nikāmalābhī bhavatyakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī. tasmātpāpīyasā māreṇāsyāvatāro na labhyate, nānuvartate pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, na saṅkleśena saṅkliśyate, na punarbhavāya pratyājāyate.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare'ṭṭālakaḥ samutthāpito bhavati dṛḍhīkṛtāyāṃ bhūmāvabhedyo'samprakampyo'bhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvakaḥ śrāddho bhavati. tathāgate'sya śraddhā niviṣṭā bhavati mūlajātā pratiṣṭhitā dṛḍhāsaṃhāryā bāhyena śramaṇena vā brāhmaṇena vā devena vā māreṇa vā brahmaṇā vā kenacidvā punarloke. ityucyata āryaśrāvakaḥ śraddhāṭṭālakaṃ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare parikhā khātā bhavati gambhīrā vistṛtā susaṃvihitā sopāśrayā cābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvako hrīmānbhavati hretavyājjihreti, jihreti pāpakebhyo'kuśalebhyo dharmebhyaḥ saṅkleśikebhyaḥ paunarbhavikebhyo duḥkhavipākebhya āyatyāṃ saṃsāramūlabhūtebhyaḥ. iti hrīparikhāmāryaśrāvakaḥ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare samantādanuparyāyamārgo viśodhitaḥ samo viśālaścābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvako'patrāpī bhavati apatraptavyenāpatrapate, 'patrapate pāpakairakuśalairdharmaiḥ saṅkleśikaiḥ paunarbhavikairduḥkhavipākairāyatyāṃ saṃsāramūlabhūtaiḥ. apatrāpyānuparyāyamārgamāryaśrāvakaḥ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare caturaṅgiṇī senā sannipātitā bhavati, tadyathā—hastikāyo'śvakāyo rathakāyaḥ pattikāyaścābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvaka ārabdhavīryo viharatyakuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ prahāṇāya kuśalānāṃ dharmāṇāṃ bhāvanāyai sthāmavāndṛḍhaparākramaḥ kuśaleṣu dharmeṣvanikṣiptadhuraḥ. iti vīryasenābalamāryaśrāvakaḥ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare nānāvidhamāyudhaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavati, tadyathā—dhanuśśaraśaktiprāsā abhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvako bahuśruto bhavati śrutadharaḥ śrutasañcayaḥ. ye te dharmā ādau kalyāṇā madhye kalyāṇāḥ paryavasāne kalyāṇāḥ sārthāḥ savyañjanāḥ kevalaparipūrṇaṃ pariśuddhaṃ brahmacaryaṃ samprakāśayanti, tathārūpā asya dharmā bahuśrutā bhavanti dhṛtā vacasā sahasraśaḥ paricitā manasānuprekṣitā dṛṣṭyā supratividdhāḥ. iti bāhuśrutyāyudhamāryaśrāvakaḥ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare dauvāriko mahāmātraḥ sthāpito bhavati paṇḍito vyakto medhāvī śūro dhīro dīrghadarśī, kalyāṇānāṃ praveśayitā pāpakānāṃ ca nivārayitābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvakaḥ smṛtimānbhavati parameṇa smṛtivipākena samanvāgataścirakṛtamapi cirabhāṣitamapi smartānusmartā. iti smṛtidauvārikamahāmātramāryaśrāvakaḥ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prākāraḥ samutthāpito bhavatyucco dṛḍho mṛdlepasudhāliptaścābhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvakaḥ prajñāvānbhavatyudayāstagāminyā prajñayā samanvāgata āryayā nairvedhikayā samyagduḥkhakṣayagāminyā. iti prajñāprākāramāryaśrāvakaḥ pratilabhate, prajahāti pāpakānakuśalāndharmān, bhāvayati kuśalāndharmān.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prabhūtamudakatṛṇendhanakāṣṭhaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavatyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvako vivicyaiva kāmebhyo vivicya pāpakebhyo'kuśalebhyo dharmebhyaḥ, savitarkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ prītisukhaṃ prathamaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. sa sukhavihārāṇāmakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī bhavati kṣemī sukhī svayameva nirvāṇamadhigacchati.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prabhūtāḥ śālidhānyayavagodhūmāḥ sannihitā bhavantyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvako vitarkavicārāṇāṃ vyupaśamādadhyātmasamprasādāccetasa ekāgrībhāvādavitarkamavicāraṃ samādhijaṃ prītisukhaṃ dvitīyaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. sa sukhavihārāṇāmakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī bhavati kṣemī sukhī svayameva nirvāṇamadhigacchati.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare prabhūtaṃ tilamāṣamudgaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavatyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvakaḥ prītervirāgādupekṣako viharati, smṛtimānsamprajānan, sukhaṃ ca kāyena pratisaṃvedayate yattadāryā ācakṣate—upekṣakaḥ smṛtimānsukhavihārīti, niṣprītikaṃ tṛtīyaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. sa sukhavihārāṇāmakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī bhavati kṣemī sukhī svayameva nirvāṇamadhigacchati.
yathā rājñaḥ pratyantanagare sarpistailamadhvikṣuphāṇitamatsyalavaṇavallūraṃ sarvaparipūrṇaṃ sannihitaṃ bhavatyabhyantarāṇāṃ kṣemāya bāhyānāṃ pratyarthikānāṃ pratyamitrāṇāṃ ca pratighātāya.
evamevāryaśrāvakaḥ sukhasya ca prahāṇādduḥkhasya ca prahāṇātpūrvameva saumanasyadaurmanasyayorastaṅgamādaduḥkhāsukhamupekṣāsmṛtipariśuddhaṃ caturthaṃ dhyānamupasampadya viharati. sa sukhavihārāṇāmakṛcchralābhyakaṣṭalābhī bhavati kṣemī sukhī svayameva nirvāṇamadhigacchati.
idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasaste bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandiṣuḥ.
nagaropamasūtraṃ tṛtīyaṃ samāptam.