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The Secrets of the Tath¿gata, in Sanskrit, the Tath¿gataguhya S¿tra, is a quintessential Mah¿y¿na s¿tra on the nature of the body, speech, and mind of bodhisattvas and the Buddha. This annotated translation is the first in any western language.The core message of the Secrets of the Tath¿gata is that bodhisattvas and the Buddha manifest in whatever form is necessary to teach and aid sentient beings. It illustrates its teachings with marvellously memorable narratives. Its primary interlocutor is Vajrap¿¿i, the vajra (thunderbolt mallet) bearer. He incisively answers the queries of ¿¿ntamati Bodhisattva and narrates his recollection of crucial moments in the Buddha's life.The Secrets of the Tath¿gata emphasises that the power of the non-dual and ineffable Buddha underlies all the good deeds and realisations of the bodhisattva, and that his wisdom is inherent in all beings. While the Buddha exerts no effort, he freely manifests for beings based upon their needs and the inclinations of their mind. Beings see the Buddha just like looking at themselves in the mirror, and his words of wisdom sound forth like enchanted instruments that automatically play when wafted by the winds of our karmic inclinations.Shaku Shingan has rendered a readable English translation from the Chinese of the Song Dynasty monk Dharmarak¿a, with critical comparisons and translations from the earlier Mah¿ratnak¿¿a S¿tra translation of the same text. This second edition also incorporates insights from the newly available Sanskrit manuscript. Shingan's introduction provides historical background, explains the s¿tra's place in the history of Mah¿y¿na Buddhism and Buddhist studies, and gives the reader an understandable digest of its key themes and doctrines.

King Aj¿täatru is well-known among Buddhists for being misled by the Buddha's jealous brother-in-law and cousin, Devadatta, into bringing about his father's death and usurping the throne of the Kingdom of Magadha. Despite this, he also came to repent his deeds and became a sincere supporter of the Buddha. This publication presents four first English translations of s¿tras on Aj¿täatru, his repentance, and the eventual assurance of his attainment of Buddhahood.The King Aj¿täatru S¿tra (Skt. Aj¿täatrukauk¿tyavinodana, Taish¿ No. 626) presents the process whereby bodhisattva Mañjür¿ helped King Aj¿täatru to see the emptiness of all phenomenal existence and the original purity of mind. Through attaining these insights, the king overcame his doubts about his fate and received assurance of his eventual buddhahood. The S¿tra on King Aj¿täatru's Questions on the Five Heinous Crimes (Taish¿ No. 508) presents the process whereby the king will overcome his doubts by attaining rootless faith (granted to him by the Buddha) rather than through the realisation of emptiness. The S¿tra on King Aj¿täatru's Reception of his Prediction (Taish¿ No. 509) sees the king receive his assurance of buddhahood not while the Buddha is in the world, but rather by offering to him after he entered nirv¿¿a. It Thus emphasises the transcendent nature of the Buddha's manifestation in the world. The S¿tra on the Flower Pickers (Taish¿ No. 510) presents a variation on the previous s¿tra where the Buddha has not yet entered nirv¿¿a.Our sincere wish is that readers will find these s¿tra translations a fascinating and valuable addition to their understanding of Buddhism and the redemption of those who have committed grave evils.