Such are the characteristics of the Buddha in Mahāyāna Buddhism—keep them in mind! The monk has a perfect appearance with all the external distinguishing marks, fully determined in his heart. He has a bald pate, a bracelet and rosary, a sash, a set of monk's robes, resplendent and of bright colour, a belt, and a meditation cloth—everything according to the rules.

That is what is called the bald pate: the monk sets his mind on the Dharma, attaining a pure nature; he is of an immaculate disposition; he has a knowledge which is free from diversity, void, free from external influences, free from [false] perception, admitting no doubt, and free from disturbances; he strives after permanence [of these qualities]. The bald pate has such a meaning. He always keeps his head clean-shaven. It is always shining.

Knowledge is comprehension of how to conduct inhaling and exhaling, namely of Prāṇa etc. — a mental effort. Furthermore it is comprehension of their circumvolation in the human body as a current, continuosly rotating like a wheel. Besides, it ceaselessly causes their appearance for the welfare of human beings. Such is this rosary. The true teacher does not take it off.

Free from undue activities the mind bestows welfare on all mankind. First of all he should appease the gods, constantly. The sages also he should faithfully attend upon for the happiness of human beings. This is the bracelet. The monk does not part with it if he wishes to experience voidness.

Intellectual activity, like the sun's radiance, brightly spreads over all true traditional doctrines. One should strive to scorch the instances of dusk and darkness, all the Six Enemies, pursuit of wealth, improper desire, false words, and the Ten Great Anguishes. These will be annihilated and will disappear in confusion. Such is the sash. Surely, the monk who seeks happiness guards it.

Knowledge is like a clear sky from which clouds and mist are dispelled. It is comprehension of all specific doctrines, especially of the sublime path of the Buddha. One is aware of the Lord Buddha's presence in the human body as well as of the goddess as His spouse. This is the set of monk's robes. It cannot become worn out by washing nor can it be reduced to ashes by fire.

Knowledge is comprehension of how to realize the voidness of everything existing as far as it is characterized by the Dharma. It firmly tightens all doctrines into oneness as well as the course through the human body. Moreover, [through it] the five organs of perception are not bound to external objects nor are they bound to any undue activity. Such is the belt with regard to the ultimate doctrine, but it is hidden in the mind.

Insight is comprehension of the entry of esoteric knowledge and superior yoga—it implies a powerful mind. Every way of worshipping the gods as well as the series of food-offerings one should know, all forms of ritual worship and every kind of religious instruction, and, finally, the incantations, formularies, and eulogies. This is the meditation cloth. Surely, it wards off instances of ritual wrongdoing.

Correct application of knowledge implies constant performing of worship and praise of the Lord Buddha. Not bound to such occupations as sleep, etc., one should heed each of the Three Aims, fully awake. Willing to suffer difficulties, without an immediate profit or an evident urge, one executes the Dharma, excellent in its triple form. This is called the sawit for the wise who seeks voidness.

One's worship is consistent in all characteritics. There is worship in all one's doings and dealings: all kinds of words, sweet and for the benefit of others, are like incantations, always consistent; all one's thoughts are the practice of muttering prayers, counting the three winds and the three jewels. All one's activities are impelled by yoga for the sake of becoming an excellent yogi.

One's behavior eases the beholder as if it were a flower, always fresh. All one's words emit wisdom like the sweet-smelling perfumes spreading scent all around. One's special knowledge of the Buddha are the rice-grains, constantly strewn. One's knowledge, spotless, unwavering, and pure is like sacrificial butter. This is the beautiful food-offering to the gods.

That is the reason why the monk is fully aware of the double nature of liberation. He should have a clear view of the essentials, everything belonging to the doctrine, which the Buddhist monk pursues. Only knowledge, especially of the Buddha, one should know, not moving away from it nor having doubts on it. Such he should be, unconcerned with behaviour as if he were confused with regard to the true characteristics.

These are the observances, each of them to be practised by the monk who strives after happines. They are the Six Perfections, widely known and to be practised. In the first place charity, next moral conduct, then patience together with energy and meditation - know these! - and finally wisdome. One should keep them in mind. Such is the classification of charity:

One's thoughts are unconcerned with material goods, especially palmwine, cooked rice, and other nourishments. Futher one should give away one's wife, even one's son or daughter, if somebody wants them. One's own blood, flesh, one's liver even one's own eyes are to be given away if somebody wants them. Such is the Perfection of Charity. This one should know as the first.

Protecting the Buddhist teachings, avowing the rules of the order of learning, not indulging in undue activities—that is the triple form of correct behaviour aiming at the happiness of other people Abstention from transgression against living beings—from this and the others one should hold aloof, first and for all. Such-mind you!-is the Perfection of Moral Conduct by which people find constant happiness.

One's thoughts should be like honey poured upon with honey when people grieve him. They should be unchanging, immovable, pure, and clear like a cloudless sky, eagerly wishing to bestow happiness on a mind afflicted by distress, wishing happiness for the mind. The Perfection of Patience this is called. One should always keep to it.

Without getting tired of the triple form one incessantly effects good karma. In the daytime one sweeps clean, and constantly studies, worships, and writes. At night one stays awake with yoga, muttering prayers, meditation, worship, and eulogies. This is the Perfection of Energy—know it! It is the highroad for one who strives after voidness.

Knowledge unites one's own body with all the-other living beings. [Reflecting:] My own body is the ongm of all beings, yes, my body represents the living beings he should therefore love and endure the living beings, both high and low. This is the Perfection called Meditation. It offers a sure way to heaven.

Knowledge is comprehension of the past, the future, and the present; also of all specific doctrines, ordinations, and the complete body of sacred texts, of all external and internal types of yoga, and of the gods of the quarters and the intermediate quarters. This is the Perfection of Wisdom. One should stick to it in the proper manner: it is the choice of the observances.

One should, first of all, stick to the Six Perfections in one's quest for voidness. The Lord Buddha shows a clear love for the one who has absorbed them in his mind because they are the gist of [all] particular texts, the core of [all] doctrines—so the Buddhist monk proclaims. Non-duality of knowledge is the paramount feature of the goddess as the Supreme Cause.

There is yet another group of Perfections, four in line, the so-called Abodes of Brahma, solid. [They are:] love, and compassion together with joy, and followed by equanimity. Such are the Six Perfections together with the [four] Abodes of Brahma. These are the Perfections, actually ten in number. Before one's eyes they are the compassion of the Lord Budha.

Such is the import of love: the active mind effects happiness for all mankind. Next, compassion is the active mind feeling pain at the sight of sorrowful people. Further, joy is the active mind experiencing happiness at the sight of happy people. Pure feelings towards the affairs of others, no desire for personal gain—that is equanimity according to the Buddhist monk.

Now, we must not forget the human as the earth. The seas and the mountains are the most excellent features of the body. [The body] is a stable support in one's quest for liberation, because as such it is nearby the abode of the gods.

Such is the arrangement of the body according to the sea: One's limitless desire—the deep waters. One's troublesome hate—the coral-reefs hard to pass. One's overwhelming, restless delusion—the big waves.

One's deceit not leaving anything behind—the ferocious sharks. One's envy, sheer poison—the sea-snakes, extremely poisonous. One's jealousy—the sandbanks overgrown with sea-weed and very troublesome. The Three Stains—the heavy surf.

Passion and mental darkness—the restlessly heaving waves. One's anger—the raging gusts of the wind. The five senses are like the rains with gales and squalls. One's shallow knowledge—the taste of salt water, all around present.

One's profound knowledge is a means of destroying these big troubles. One's insight becomes the extensive Ocean of Milk. This is churned with the mountain par excellence, the lingga-monument, Mt. Himawan. How could it be used to churn with?

This rosary is all-conquering by its composition: it is like the host of the gods at the churning with the mountain-lingga. Such is the cord, the most excellent spiritual quality, resembling a snake as a means of churning by the host of the gods.

The churning by the host of the gods is rewarding for you: knowledge of the [Ten] Perfections [results], the outcome of which is a void [mind]. The goddess Śrī appears first, unfolding herself in all splendour. She has the nature of ambrosia which will shortly be found.

At ease and free from the realm of senses is the Milk Ocean-mind, void. The three winds and the [three] jewels have come to a rest. They are now unmoving and fixed. Now one views the excellent Lord, the Buddha. It is a mirage, however splendid, because He has a transcendental body.

Before one's eyes He [manifests Himself] as ambrosia, clear and pure. This is the drink of which He is the essence. Surely, one now escapes death and the infirmities of old age. Indeed, the Eight Qualities are now always pursued, carefully.

Such is the arrangement of the body according to the sea-features. The arrangement of the body as a mountain is as follows: The head is the top of the body-mountain. One's feet are the foot of the mountain according to the body-features.

The Group of Six—the inaccessible shrubs and deep ravines. The tigers, lions, and bears—the Three Stains, very ferocious. The wicked thirst—the rocky slopes with poisonous snakes. Passion and mental darkness—the rains with thunder and squalls.

Here one should resort to in one's quest for siddha-hood. Shattered and cleared away are the shrubs of one's heart set in self-control. Knowledge of the highly superior doctrine serves as a sharp axe. Discernment of the Dharma is the cleared spot meant to lay out rice-fields.

These one should burn down by mental concentration, hot as the sun. Indeed, all the shrubs on one's body are now burnt down. Now the stains of one's own mind are completely clean and purified. Constantly the ploughing goes on with observances, worship, and incantations.

Next one should plant with yoga and meditation. Remove the tall grasses and snakes by proper conduct. Clear knowledge is the watering [as refreshing as] the moon at the end of the day. Then knowledge of the Buddha sprouts, which one should constantly cultivate.

Manifest are the fruits, namely one's seeing of the Lord Buddha. Lasting He is as one's food to subsist on. Pleasant is one's union with the Lord. Then one is a siddha. A Siddha one is called who has attained liberation.

This is the chain of causes which one should know in the beginning, and such are effects, durable, which one should know at the end: the arrangement of the Lord Buddha's body pervading the complete phenomenal world, gross as well as minute or subtle; the Eight Powers are at one's disposal at will.

This then is what is calledd the aim. It is no use to discuss it any further because it is the quintessence of cause and effect which one pursues. With unblurred vision one views. Knowledge appears in an absolute way, nearby the Lord Who is all-knowing and enlightening.

Here ends the Monk's ABC, a Mahāyāna poem.

Edited and translated by . Arlo Griffiths typed the text (2011) and translation (2025) and encoded both in to TEI format.