The Teaching on the Aids to Enlightenment

The Teaching on the Aids to Enlightenment (Skt. Bodhipakṣanirdeśa; Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་ཕྱོགས་བསྟན་པ།, Wyl. byang chub kyi phyogs bstan pa) is in response to a series of queries from Manjushri. Buddha Shakyamuni first exposes the error that prevents sentient beings in general from transcending samsara, and then focuses more particularly on errors that result from understanding the four truths of the noble ones based on conceptual notions of phenomena. He then goes on to explain how someone wishing to attain liberation should skilfully view the following five sets of qualities: (1) the four truths, (2) the four applications of mindfulness, (3) the eightfold path (4) the five faculties, and (5) the seven branches of enlightenment.

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• The Tibetan translation of this sutra can be found in the General Sutra section of the Tibetan Kangyur, Toh 178

• English translation: The Teaching on the Aids to Enlightenment