Translation of Pañcagatidīpanī
By Ann Appleby Hazlewood
27 pagesHaving heard what was said by the Completely Awakened One, I shall now speak briefly about deeds good and bad to be done or to be eschewed by you.
A brief introduction to and English translation of the Pañcagati-Dīpanaṃ (“Illumination of the Five Realms of Existence”) thought to be a Southeast Asian recension of Aśvaghoṣa’s Chagatidīpanī (Sadgatikārikā?).
This text explains the five realms of rebirth and the actions which lead to rebirth in each one. It’s an excellent example of how the teachings on karma were elaborated after the Buddha’s passing, and how those teachings circulated around Asia in premodern times.