Muni's PlayMāyānirukti (Definition of Illusion)
Sanskrit
नमः सर्वविदे ॥ मायैव निःस्वभावं चेत् जगदध्यक्षा बुधाः । किमर्थमिह मुह्यन्ति जानन्तोऽपि सुखासुया ॥ १ ॥ (namaḥ sarvavide || māyaiva niḥsvabhāvaṃ cet jagad-adhyakṣā budhāḥ | kimartham iha muhyanti jānanto’pi sukhāśayā || 1 ||)
Translation
Obeisance to the All-Knower! If the world is without inherent nature, like an illusion, as seen by the wise who perceive reality; Why then do people here, even knowing this, remain deluded by the desire for happiness?
Sanskrit
मायावी कुरुते मायां ज्वलदाकारभास्वरम् । कस्यचित् सत्यमाभाति माया मायावविदां ॥ २ ॥ (māyāvī kurute māyāṃ jvalad-ākāra-bhāsvaram | kasyacit satyam ābhāti māyā māyā-vidāṃ || 2 ||)
Translation
A magician creates an illusion, luminous with the form of fire; To some it appears real, but to those who know the trick, it is just an illusion.
Sanskrit
मायातृप्तेर्विना भोगं ये कामाः स्वयमागताः । मायया स न भोक्तेयं माया सर्वसंगता ॥ ३ ॥ (māyātṛpter vinā bhogaṃ ye kāmāḥ svayam āgatāḥ | māyayā sa na bhunkte’yaṃ māyā sarvasaṅgatā || 3 ||)
Translation
For one satisfied by the understanding of illusion, desires that come of their own accord are without real enjoyment; Through illusion, he does not truly experience them, for illusion is associated with everything.
Sanskrit
शून्यतो जायते धर्मस्तस्मादन्या न धर्मता । अतएव हि सर्वज्ञं बुद्धस्य न विहन्यते ॥ ४ ॥ (śūnyato jāyate dharmas tasmād anyā na dharmata | ata eva hi sarvajñaṃ buddhasya na vihanyate || 4 ||)
Translation
Phenomena (dharmas) arise from Emptiness (śūnyatā); there is no other nature to things. For this reason, the omniscience of the Buddha is never impaired.
Sanskrit
अनारोपवशात् सर्वं धर्मचक्र प्रवर्तते । पादप्रसारिकां त्यक्त्वा क्षिप्त्वा मानादिकल्पनाम् ॥ ५ ॥ (anāropavaśāt sarvaṃ dharmacakraṃ pravartate | pādaprasārikāṃ tyaktvā kṣiptvā mānādikalpanām || 5 ||)
Translation
Without superimposition (anāropa), the entire wheel of Dharma turns; Abandoning leisure and casting away concepts of pride and the like.
Sanskrit
चर्यां विचेरद् योगी सुस्थितः स्थानयोगतः । भानपानरसं प्राप्य शुद्धयामुष्य भाषया ॥ ६ ॥ (caryāṃ vicered yogī susthitaḥ sthānayogataḥ | khānapānaraśaṃ prāpya śuddhayāmuṣya bhāṣayā || 6 ||)
Translation
The yogi should practice his conduct, well-established through the yoga of his station; Having attained the taste of food and drink, speaking with pure speech.
Sanskrit
चर्यां न विचरेद् यस्तु नासौ सम्बोधिभाजनम् । वाचा वक्ति जनस्तत्त्वं चर्य्यामध्ये अनुमोदते ॥ ७ ॥ (caryāṃ na vicered yas tu nāsau sambodhibhājanam | vācā vakti janas tattvaṃ caryām apy anumodate || 7 ||)
Translation
He who does not practice the conduct is not a vessel for Awakening; People speak of reality with words, and even approve of the conduct (but don’t practice it).
Sanskrit
वृत्यनुष्ठानसम्पत्या सम्पन्नो वल्लभौ जनः । महासय्यादिशो वासो भिक्षाभक्तं च भोजनम् ॥ ८ ॥ (vṛtty-anuṣṭhāna-sampattyā sampanno vallabho janaḥ | mahāśayyādiśo vāso bhikṣābhaktaṃ ca bhojanam || 8 ||)
Translation
One who is endowed with the accomplishment of practice and conduct is a beloved person; Whose bed is the great earth, whose dwelling is the quarters (directions), and whose food is alms.
Sanskrit
जातं धर्मता क्षान्तिः करुणाभोगवाहिनी । ज्ञानजन्मानि ये धर्मा जायन्ते तेऽपि चर्यया ॥ ९ ॥ (jāta-dharmatā kṣāntiḥ karuṇābhogavāhinī | jñānajanmāni ye dharmā jāyante te’pi caryayā || 9 ||)
Translation
Patience (kṣānti) is the innate nature of things, carrying the enjoyment of compassion; All those phenomena born of wisdom also arise through the conduct.
Sanskrit
एतत् फलमिहाप्यस्ति क्षमता वदनुत्तरी । मायां विवृत्य यत्पुण्यं सुलब्धं साधुचेतसा । तेनाद्वयपदं यान्तु लोकलोकोत्तरे स्थितः ॥ १० ॥ (etat phalam ihāpy asti kṣamatā vad anuttarī | māyāṃ vivṛtya yat puṇyaṃ sulabdhaṃ sādhucetasā | tenādvaya-padaṃ yāntu loka-lokottare stithāḥ || 10 ||)
Translation
This fruit is also present here; patience is said to be unsurpassed. By whatever merit has been well-attained by the virtuous mind through unfolding this illusion; By that, may beings established in the world and the beyond reach the non-dual state.
॥ मायानिुक्तिः समाप्तेति ॥
Source: Advayavajra-saṃgraha - Māyānirukti Reference: Buddhism, Vajrayana