Bajaur Collection Fragment 6
The third and final treatise of a cycle of early Mahāyāna compositions preserved on birch bark in Kharoṣṭhī script, from the Bajaur Collection of Gandhāri manuscripts. BC 6 refers to both BC 4 and BC 11, connecting their themes — it is a commentary that draws together the direct teaching on non-attachment (BC 4) and the scholastic analysis of the benefit of release (BC 11). The text examines the permanence of aggregates, the nature of suffering as disease and thorn, the arising and cessation of the state of not being awakened, the danger of passion and hatred born from knowledge, and the futility of desire. Heavily damaged and fragmentary. Edited by Andrea Schlosser in Gandhāran Buddhist Texts 7 (2022).
Gospel Reading
1. The Aggregates and the Nature of Suffering
... The subject matter ... 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, going anywhere. This would be existence.
... Such as a disease, 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. 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 aggregates, elements, and sense bases would exist.
2. Without Thorns, Without Blows
... Would be without thorns, without blows. And immeasurable kinds of suffering would not exist, as it has just been written. Any kind of misery would not exist.
... Not belonging to anyone, 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. Notions of Permanence
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? 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, 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 ...
The remainder has been written on the reverse side of the scroll.
4. The State of Not Being Awakened
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 ... 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: possessed of forceful exertion but not mentally engaged, thus at least unprofitable for anything unwholesome. 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. Passion and Hatred Born from Knowledge
If one becomes passionate or hateful — when one touches not the deceitful but the proper knowledge — 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 thereby happiness due to acquired possessions, which was known as happiness before, would not have been caused. And also what was scattered before would have been made composed. And being composed, one would say: "Reduced ..." ... one would cause the state of non-existence.
Because one would bring to a halt what is to be done and what is not to be done, one would bring to rest what was earlier known as suffering. Thus, thereby, the master's notion of happiness would arise.
... 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. 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, one does not have an agitated mind ...
Thereby in deceitful knowledge one would become passionate and ... 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. ... What wise person would not let go of what is useless and painful? ...
Scholarly Translation
Part 6r [§ 1]
[6r1] kartava (*) paripapo uadae ime kadhadhaduaidana ṇice dakṣiati atva ? + + + + + + + ¹ aparimaṇa ? ? eẹ ? ? droatie ? ?? ? ? ä ? kuhicagamaṇo [6r2] (*) kuhi(*)icagamaṇa (*) ca bhaveadi bh̥ava- ẹi ? ? ca bhaveadi bhava ca bhaveadi ·
ta ẹ di ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? + ? ? ? ? (*) yam ida rt(*)oige(*)ṇaï (*) [6r3] yam ida iṣadea (*) yam ida ṣalea (*) yam ida akṣadea (*) yam ida payodaakiḫeaṣ (*) yam ida ? + (*) yam ida jadiduḫa-yava maraṇaduḫena priaviṇa-bhaveṣu-agradukḫeṇa (*) yam ida drudejat(*)ja [6r4] drujaṇasamosaṇeṇa (*) yam ida sakṣiteṇa yavi dukheṇa samoṣaṇeṇa E ? ? ? yeṇa ? ? ? ? + + + + + ? ¿ü ? ? ? ṇeṇa (*) yam ida dritha-dhamiṣaparaü (*) avarimaneṇa dukheṇa na ichidava [6r5] kadhadhaduaidaṇi(*) siati ⊙
Part 6r [§ 2]
ya ṇi pu u̱ ti ä ? ? ü ? ? ? ü + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ?? (*)aśala ca aṇakḫada ca siati (*) ṇa ca avarimana [6r6] dukha siati (*) · yasa aji hi de likhida ? (*) droaca ṇa siati ·
ta ṇi ? ? ? ? ? ? ü¹ i + + + + ? + ä iü ? ? ? ? ü · ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ca aspamiä ca [6r7] ẹ(*)kakala-va ca parimanaṣacea ca akohicagamaṇaẓakuhicagamaṇa ca sudii(*)ṇaji ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (*) abhava ca (*) · ta imeṇa ṇisamartheṇa na ichidava siati kadhadhaduaidaṇa ⊙
Part 6r [§ 3]
[6r8] aha ta (*) yadi adahea ede dhamma duḫa ca ṇisamartha ca (*) eṣa bhude eṣa pragrii(*)de eṣa yṣave eṣa taye (*) ta kaṣa raga ca doṣa ca upajadi evadukḫami evaṇisamarthami (*) · [6r9] tuo(*) ca ya rihu janaṣi · kaṣa rajaṣi ca dulaṣi ca ta vucadi (*) · ta ṇa ka ï a bo ? ?? + ? ? ? ? ? ? + + + + + · agudaśada ca arogaśa(*)ta ca(*) [6r10] ataḫaśata ca aṇakḫadaśata ca ṇicaśada ca aṇavaśada ca ṇajiva-śada ca bhavat(*)śada ca(*) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +(*)
[6r11] śeṣa patade likhidae(*)
Part 6v [§ 4]
[6v1] aha ta (*) kaṣa abodhasa upajati (*) kaṣa baleṇa (*) ta vucadi (*) savalo ? ? ? (*) ca sua vibo + + ṇa samthidoamaṇaṣa bhoti (*) yadi va maṇaṣa bhi(*)oti · + + + ? ? ẹ h̥ ṇ̥ pari-pura [6v2] ṇa tatva ṇa egragacitasa ṇa avikṣiacitasa (*) mradumanaṣa bhoti ṇa + + bh̥(*)(*)śdo bahumaṇa bhoti · (*) aha kusalaṣa viaritae (*) aha balevu ma ya amusaira akuśalsa vi[6v3]ṣarthae (*) ṇa spuramaṇaṣa bhoti (*) ta rajadi ca(*) duśiadi ca (*) · ya vaṇa spura upajedi (*)ta ẹ(*)gragacitasa(*) aiha ⊙
Part 6v [§ 5]
ya rajeadi ca duśiẹadi ca (*) yahi ïaṇo(*) ṇa kudae suthu [6v4] phaṣadi(*) (*) · ta taraṇae ca siadi (*) · tatra ca purve bahu taṇua saha karavida(*)ẹ(*)(*) + + + ? ? vitrae ca siadi (*) tatra ca purve suhe vitrasua ṇa karavidaẹ siadi (*) · saithida ca [6v5] para vi ṣamthidaẹ siadi · so ca samthido-matreadi taṇua ẹ(*)ä ? + + + + + + + + ? + + ṣ ü(*) abhavasa kareadi (*)
kicakica hi iḫidiga kereadi prove ya duḫa janita taṣa duḫaṣa [6v6] vovaśamo kareati (*) · te tatra taṣa bhatareasa suhasaha upaïi(*)ẹiadi (*)
· ü ṇṛ ẹ + + + + + + + + vovaśamo(*) ṇa samthidomanaṣo siadi (*) yadi va maṇuṣa siadi taṇu sp(*)(*)üra ṇa oita egagi(*)ra siadi · [6v7] ṇa bahumaṇeṇa (*) yahi aji tahi sava pada katava (*) yava ala kica paliṣoena ṇa spuramaṇaṣa bhi(*)odi(*) (*) · + + +
tatra koḍaemi rajadi ca aü + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? ? + ? ? [6v8] + + ? ? ? ü likhide ithu (*) rajaṇa ja(*) duślaṇa ca (*) taṣva spurami ??? ? ? + + + + + + + + h̥ (*)(*) ṇ̥ ? ? ? k̥ ? + ya ichiadi ṇa rajaṇa ṇa di(*)ü(*)śaṇa (*) ma paji vipadjṣara (*) aho(*) [6v9] ? ü̥ ca (*) ko padiẹe ṇisaṃartha ca duḫa ca ṇa pariẹae (*) aho ṇa ya + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? ḫ p̥ r̥ diadi ???
Colophon
Good Works Translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, April 2026. Translated from Gandhāri Prakrit. Source: Schlosser, Three Early Mahāyāna Treatises from Gandhāra, GBT 7 (2022), pp. 146–155. Schlosser's English translation consulted as reference only. Blood Rule compliant.
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Source Text
Gandhāri Prakrit Reconstruction — BC 6
§ 1
[6r1] kartava (*) paripapo uadae ime kadhadhaduaidana ṇice dakṣiati atva ? + + + + + + + ¹ aparimaṇa ? ? eẹ ? ? droatie ? ?? ? ? ä ? kuhicagamaṇo [6r2] (*) kuhi(*)icagamaṇa (*) ca bhaveadi bh̥ava- ẹi ? ? ca bhaveadi bhava ca bhaveadi ·
ta ẹ di ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? + ? ? ? ? (*) yam ida rt(*)oige(*)ṇaï (*) [6r3] yam ida iṣadea (*) yam ida ṣalea (*) yam ida akṣadea (*) yam ida payodaakiḫeaṣ (*) yam ida ? + (*) yam ida jadiduḫa-yava maraṇaduḫena priaviṇa-bhaveṣu-agradukḫeṇa (*) yam ida drudejat(*)ja [6r4] drujaṇasamosaṇeṇa (*) yam ida sakṣiteṇa yavi dukheṇa samoṣaṇeṇa E ? ? ? yeṇa ? ? ? ? + + + + + ? ¿ü ? ? ? ṇeṇa (*) yam ida dritha-dhamiṣaparaü (*) avarimaneṇa dukheṇa na ichidava [6r5] kadhadhaduaidaṇi(*) siati ⊙
§ 2
ya ṇi pu u̱ ti ä ? ? ü ? ? ? ü + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ?? (*)aśala ca aṇakḫada ca siati (*) ṇa ca avarimana [6r6] dukha siati (*) · yasa aji hi de likhida ? (*) droaca ṇa siati ·
ta ṇi ? ? ? ? ? ? ü¹ i + + + + ? + ä iü ? ? ? ? ü · ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ca aspamiä ca [6r7] ẹ(*)kakala-va ca parimanaṣacea ca akohicagamaṇaẓakuhicagamaṇa ca sudii(*)ṇaji ? ? ? ? ? ? ? (*) abhava ca (*) · ta imeṇa ṇisamartheṇa na ichidava siati kadhadhaduaidaṇa ⊙
§ 3
[6r8] aha ta (*) yadi adahea ede dhamma duḫa ca ṇisamartha ca (*) eṣa bhude eṣa pragrii(*)de eṣa yṣave eṣa taye (*) ta kaṣa raga ca doṣa ca upajadi evadukḫami evaṇisamarthami (*) · [6r9] tuo(*) ca ya rihu janaṣi · kaṣa rajaṣi ca dulaṣi ca ta vucadi (*) · ta ṇa ka ï a bo ? ?? + ? ? ? ? ? ? + + + + + · agudaśada ca arogaśa(*)ta ca(*) [6r10] ataḫaśata ca aṇakḫadaśata ca ṇicaśada ca aṇavaśada ca ṇajiva-śada ca bhavat(*)śada ca(*) + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +(*)
[6r11] śeṣa patade likhidae(*)
§ 4
[6v1] aha ta (*) kaṣa abodhasa upajati (*) kaṣa baleṇa (*) ta vucadi (*) savalo ? ? ? (*) ca sua vibo + + ṇa samthidoamaṇaṣa bhoti (*) yadi va maṇaṣa bhi(*)oti · + + + ? ? ẹ h̥ ṇ̥ pari-pura [6v2] ṇa tatva ṇa egragacitasa ṇa avikṣiacitasa (*) mradumanaṣa bhoti ṇa + + bh̥(*)(*)śdo bahumaṇa bhoti · (*) aha kusalaṣa viaritae (*) aha balevu ma ya amusaira akuśalsa vi[6v3]ṣarthae (*) ṇa spuramaṇaṣa bhoti (*) ta rajadi ca(*) duśiadi ca (*) · ya vaṇa spura upajedi (*)ta ẹ(*)gragacitasa(*) aiha ⊙
§ 5
ya rajeadi ca duśiẹadi ca (*) yahi ïaṇo(*) ṇa kudae suthu [6v4] phaṣadi(*) (*) · ta taraṇae ca siadi (*) · tatra ca purve bahu taṇua saha karavida(*)ẹ(*)(*) + + + ? ? vitrae ca siadi (*) tatra ca purve suhe vitrasua ṇa karavidaẹ siadi (*) · saithida ca [6v5] para vi ṣamthidaẹ siadi · so ca samthido-matreadi taṇua ẹ(*)ä ? + + + + + + + + ? + + ṣ ü(*) abhavasa kareadi (*)
kicakica hi iḫidiga kereadi prove ya duḫa janita taṣa duḫaṣa [6v6] vovaśamo kareati (*) · te tatra taṣa bhatareasa suhasaha upaïi(*)ẹiadi (*)
· ü ṇṛ ẹ + + + + + + + + vovaśamo(*) ṇa samthidomanaṣo siadi (*) yadi va maṇuṣa siadi taṇu sp(*)(*)üra ṇa oita egagi(*)ra siadi · [6v7] ṇa bahumaṇeṇa (*) yahi aji tahi sava pada katava (*) yava ala kica paliṣoena ṇa spuramaṇaṣa bhi(*)odi(*) (*) · + + +
tatra koḍaemi rajadi ca aü + ? + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? ? + ? ? [6v8] + + ? ? ? ü likhide ithu (*) rajaṇa ja(*) duślaṇa ca (*) taṣva spurami ??? ? ? + + + + + + + + h̥ (*)(*) ṇ̥ ? ? ? k̥ ? + ya ichiadi ṇa rajaṇa ṇa di(*)ü(*)śaṇa (*) ma paji vipadjṣara (*) aho(*) [6v9] ? ü̥ ca (*) ko padiẹe ṇisaṃartha ca duḫa ca ṇa pariẹae (*) aho ṇa ya + + + + + + + + + + + ? ? ḫ p̥ r̥ diadi ???
Source Colophon
Gandhāri Prakrit reconstruction from Andrea Schlosser, Three Early Mahāyāna Treatises from Gandhāra: Bajaur Collection Kharoṣṭhī Fragments 4, 6, and 11 (Gandhāran Buddhist Texts 7), Hamburg: Department of Indian and Tibetan Studies, Universität Hamburg, 2022, pp. 146–150. Fragment 6 (recto and verso). 2nd century CE birch bark, Kharoṣṭhī script. Bajaur Collection, Gandhāra.
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