Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra
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The ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra'' (
Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
: अष्टसाहस्रिका प्रज्ञापारमिता सूत्र;
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
: ''The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand
ines Ines or INES may refer to: People * Ines (name), a feminine given name, also written as Inés or Inês * Saint Ines or Agnes (), Roman virgin–martyr * Eda-Ines Etti (stage name: ''Ines''; born 1981), Estonian singer Places * Doña Ines, a vo ...
') is a Mahāyāna Buddhist
sūtra ''Sutra'' ( sa, सूत्र, translit=sūtra, translit-std=IAST, translation=string, thread)Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aph ...
in the category of Prajñāpāramitā sūtra literature. The sūtra's
manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printing, printed or repr ...
witnesses date to at least ca. 50 CE, making it among the oldest Buddhist manuscripts in existence.{https://blogs.loc.gov/international-collections/2019/07/2000-year-old-buddhist-scroll-from-ancient-gandhara-digitized-by-library-of-congress/ Library of Congress blog post] The sūtra forms the basis for the expansion and development of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtra literature. In terms of its influence in the development of Buddhist philosophy, Buddhist philosophical thought, P.L. Vaidya writes that "all Buddhist writers from
Nāgārjuna Nāgārjuna . 150 – c. 250 CE (disputed)was an Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist thinker, scholar-saint and philosopher. He is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers.Garfield, Jay L. (1995), ''The Fundamental Wisdom of ...
,
Āryadeva Āryadeva (fl. 3rd century CE) (; , Chinese: ''Tipo pusa'' 婆 菩薩 = Deva Bodhisattva, was a Mahayana Buddhist monk, a disciple of Nagarjuna and a Madhyamaka philosopher.Silk, Jonathan A. (ed.) (2019). ''Brill’s Encyclopedia of Budd ...
, Maitreyanātha, Asaṅga,
Vasubandhu Vasubandhu (; Tibetan: དབྱིག་གཉེན་ ; floruit, fl. 4th to 5th century CE) was an influential bhikkhu, Buddhist monk and scholar from ''Puruṣapura'' in ancient India, modern day Peshawar, Pakistan. He was a philosopher who ...
,
Dignāga Dignāga (a.k.a. ''Diṅnāga'', c. 480 – c. 540 CE) was an Indian Buddhist scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian logic (''hetu vidyā''). Dignāga's work laid the groundwork for the development of deductive logic in India and cr ...
, down to
Haribhadra Aacharya Haribhadra Suri was a Svetambara mendicant Jain leader, philosopher , doxographer, and author. There are multiple contradictory dates assigned to his birth. According to tradition, he lived c. 459–529 CE. However, in 1919, a Jain m ...
concentrated their energies in interpreting ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' only," making it of great significance in the development of Madhyāmaka and
Yogācāra Yogachara ( sa, योगाचार, IAST: '; literally "yoga practice"; "one whose practice is yoga") is an influential tradition of Buddhist philosophy and psychology emphasizing the study of cognition, perception, and consciousness through t ...
thought. The sūtra deals with a number of topics, but is primarily concerned with the conduct of a
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...
, the realisation and attainment of the Perfection of Wisdom as one of the
Six Perfections 6 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 6 or six may also refer to: * AD 6, the sixth year of the AD era * 6 BC, the sixth year before the AD era * The month of June Science * Carbon, the element with atomic number 6 * 6 Hebe, an asteroid Peop ...
, the realisation of thusness (
tathātā Tathātā (; Sanskrit: तथाता; Pali: tathatā) is a Buddhist term variously translated as "thusness" or "suchness," referring to the nature of reality free from conceptual elaborations and the subject–object distinction. While also use ...
), the attainment of irreversibility on the path to buddhahood (avaivartika), non-conceptualisation and abandonment of views, as well as the worldly and spiritual benefit of worshipping the sūtra.


Title

The Sanskrit title for the sūtra, ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra''m, literally translates as "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Sūtra." The "Eight Thousand,"
Edward Conze Edward Conze, born Eberhard Julius Dietrich Conze (1904–1979) was a scholar of Marxism and Buddhism, known primarily for his commentaries and translations of the Prajñāpāramitā literature. Biography Conze's parents, Dr. Ernst Conze (1872 ...
indicates, refers roughly to ślokas, which have a count of thirty two syllables. Regarding this, Conze writes, "The Cambridge manuscript Add 866 of A.D. 1008 gives the actual number of slokas after each chapter, and added together they are exactly 8,411." This title is likely late in origin, as Seishi Karashima writes regarding the text from which Lokakṣema (fl. 147–189) was translating, the text was probably originally just entitled ''Prajñāpāramitā'' or ''Mahāprajñāpāramitā''. But when different versions began circulating, the additional titles, such as references to length, were added in order to differentiate them. The name of Lokakṣema's translation thus became ''Dàohéng Bānruòbōluómì Jīng'', "The Way of Practice Perfection of Wisdom Sūtra," with the extra element "Dàohéng" taken from the name of the first chapter. The sūtra is among the most well-established in the Mahāyāna tradition and "was the first philosophical text to be translated from the Mahāyāna literature into
Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
." It was translated seven times into Chinese, five times into
Tibetan Tibetan may mean: * of, from, or related to Tibet * Tibetan people, an ethnic group * Tibetan language: ** Classical Tibetan, the classical language used also as a contemporary written standard ** Standard Tibetan, the most widely used spoken dial ...
, and eight times into Mongolian. Its titles in the languages of these various countries include: * Sanskrit: अष्टसाहस्रिकाप्रज्ञापारमितासूत्रम्, ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtram'', "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand
ines Ines or INES may refer to: People * Ines (name), a feminine given name, also written as Inés or Inês * Saint Ines or Agnes (), Roman virgin–martyr * Eda-Ines Etti (stage name: ''Ines''; born 1981), Estonian singer Places * Doña Ines, a vo ...
" * Chinese: *# 道行般若波羅蜜經, ''Dàohéng Bānruòbōluómì Jīng'', "The Way of Practice Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra." T224 (Trans. Lokakṣema, 179 CE ) *# 大明度經, ''Dàmíngdù Jīng'', "The Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra." T225 (Trans. Zhī Qīan & Kāng Sēnghùi, 223-229 CE) *# 般若鈔經, ''Bānruò Chāo Jīng'', "The Small Prajñā Sūtra." T226 (Trans.
Dharmarakṣa (, J. Jiku Hōgo; K. Ch’uk Pǒphom c. 233-310) was one of the most important early translators of Mahayana sutras into Chinese. Several of his translations had profound effects on East Asian Buddhism. He is described in scriptural catalogue ...
, 386 CE) *# 小品般若波羅蜜經, ''Xiaŏpĭn Bānruòbōluómì Jīng,'' "The Small Section Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra." T227 (Trans.
Kumārajīva Kumārajīva (Sanskrit: कुमारजीव; , 344–413 CE) was a Buddhist monk, scholar, missionary and translator from the Kingdom of Kucha (present-day Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, China). Kumārajīva is seen as one of the greatest ...
, 408 CE) *# Assembly 4 of 大般若波羅蜜多經, ''Dàbānruòbōluómìduō Jīng'', "The Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra." T220 fasc. 538–555 (Trans. Xuánzàng, 660 CE) *# Assembly 5 of 大般若波羅蜜多經, ''Dàbānruòbōluómìduō Jīng'', "The Great Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra." T220 fasc. 556–565 (Trans. Xuánzàng, 660 CE) — Both of Xuánzàng's translations are equivalent to the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' with the exception of his exclusion of the Sadāprarudita story. *# 佛母出生三法藏般若波羅蜜多經, ''Fómŭ Chūshēng Sānfăzàng Bānruòbōluómìduō Jīng'', "The Three Dharma Treasuries for the Attainment of Buddhahood Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra." T228 (Trans. Dānapāla, 1004 CE) *
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
: 八千頌般若経 (はっせんじゅはんにゃきょう), ''Hassenju Hannya Kyō'', "The Eight Thousand
ine INE, Ine or ine may refer to: Institutions * Institut für Nukleare Entsorgung, a German nuclear research center * Instituto Nacional de Estadística (disambiguation) * Instituto Nacional de Estatística (disambiguation) * Instituto Nacional Elec ...
Prajñā Sūtra." This term refers to the Sanskrit source text, rather than the Chinese translations which are prevalent in
Japanese Buddhist Buddhism has been practiced in Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while exten ...
usag

* Tibetan: ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་ བརྒྱད་སྟོང་པ་, ''Shes-rab-kyi pha-rol-tu phyin-pa brgyad stong-pa'', "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines." (Trans. Yeshe De, Ye-shes-sde, 9th C.) * Mongolian: Naĭman mi͡angat Ikh Khȯlgȯn sudar orshivoĭ, "The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines."


History


South Asian Developments


Traditional Theories of Formation

While it is held by some in the Mahāyāna tradition that the
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
taught the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'', and the other Mahāyāna sūtras during his lifetime, some legends exist regarding its appearance in the world after the Buddha's parinirvāṇa. One such legend is that Mañjuśrī Bodhisattva came to the house of King Candragupta (321–297 BCE), preached, and left the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' there. Another, related by
Haribhadra Aacharya Haribhadra Suri was a Svetambara mendicant Jain leader, philosopher , doxographer, and author. There are multiple contradictory dates assigned to his birth. According to tradition, he lived c. 459–529 CE. However, in 1919, a Jain m ...
(8th C), is that while the
Śrāvakayāna Śrāvakayāna ( sa, श्रावकयान; pi, सावकयान; ) is one of the three '' yānas'' known to Indian Buddhism. It translates literally as the "vehicle of listeners .e. disciples. Historically it was the most common te ...
teachings were entrusted and preserved by
Ānanda Ānanda (5th4th century BCE) was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of the early Buddhist '' Sutta-Pi ...
, the Mahāyāna sūtras, and in particular the "''Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra,''" were entrusted to Vajradhāra residing in the Aḍakavatī Heaven. Finally, the legend which has the most currency in East Asia, is that Nāgārjuna was gifted the sūtra from the king of the
nāga The Nagas (IAST: ''nāga''; Devanāgarī: नाग) are a divine, or semi-divine, race of half-human, half-serpent beings that reside in the netherworld (Patala), and can occasionally take human or part-human form, or are so depicted in art. ...
s after seeing Nāgārjuna's resolve to obtain the Mahāyāna sūtras of the Buddha that were missing on earth. It is clear that Indian monastics did not see the development of the Prajñāpāramitā literature in the first millennium as an outgrowth from the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'', an early opinion, but
Dignāga Dignāga (a.k.a. ''Diṅnāga'', c. 480 – c. 540 CE) was an Indian Buddhist scholar and one of the Buddhist founders of Indian logic (''hetu vidyā''). Dignāga's work laid the groundwork for the development of deductive logic in India and cr ...
(c. 480–540 CE), suggests "we assert that this ''Eight Thousand'' is a condensed version
f the ''Perfection of Wisdom'' F, or f, is the sixth Letter (alphabet), letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the English alphabet, modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is English alphabet#Let ...
text, not short of any of the topics. It proclaims the very same topics that the longer sūtras] have proclaimed." Later, Haribhadra suggests that the Buddha "demonstrated the 'Śatasāhasrikā''to bring benefit to those beings who are devoted to words and delight in extensively worked-out rendition, demonstrated the 'Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā'' through gathering all the topics together, out of affection for those beings who delight in middle-sized enditionsand understand from selective elaboration, and taught the 'Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' through condensing its topics, to produce benefit for beings who are captured by headings and delight in brief explanation." Haribhadra, however, uses the topics of the ''Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā'', which were the basis of the ''
Abhisamayālaṅkāra The "Ornament of/for Realization , abbreviated AA, is one of five Sanskrit-language Mahayana śastras which, according to Tibetan tradition, Maitreya revealed to Asaṅga in northwest India circa the 4th century AD. (Chinese tradition recogniz ...
'' of Asaṅga (4th C) on which his commentary relies, in order to explain the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā''. Chinese monastics in general also held that the translations corresponding to the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' were redacted from the medium sūtras (e.g. translations of the ''Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā'')—despite the fact that large portions of the shorter versions of the sūtra are absent from the larger texts. For instance, Dào’ān (312-385 CE) theorised that Indian monks redacted the ''Dàohéng'' translation from the longer sūtras, but also that the longer sūtras could be used as commentaries on the ''Dàohéng''. Similarly, Zhī Dàolín (314-366 CE) suggested that monks had redacted the ''Xiăopĭn'' translation from the medium sūtra.


Contemporary Theories on Formation

Contemporary scholarship holds that the shorter Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, using the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' as the base, were redacted and expanded in the formation of the longer sūtras. As
Jan Nattier Jan Nattier is an American scholar of Mahāyana Buddhism. Early life and education She earned her PhD in Inner Asian and Altaic Studies from Harvard University (1988), and subsequently taught at the University of Hawaii (1988-1990), Stanford Unive ...
characterises,
the evolution of the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā''-''Prajñāpāramitā'' into the ''Pañcaviṃsati-sāhasrikā'' through what we might call the “club sandwich” style of textual formation: with the exception of the final chapters (30-32 in the Sanskrit version) of the Aṣṭa-, which have no counterpart in the Sanskrit ''Pañca''- and apparently circulated separately before being incorporated into the ''Aṣṭa''- ... the 'Pañca-''consists of the ''Aṣṭa''- being “sliced” like a loaf of bread and then layered with “fillings” introduced from other sources. Very little of the text of the ''Aṣṭa''- has been altered in the process, and only rarely does a crumb of the “bread” seem to have dropped out. The ''Pañca''- is not simply related to the ''Aṣṭa''-; it is the ''Aṣṭa''-, with the addition of a number of layers of new material.
Similarly, Edward Conze suggested a nine-stage model of expansion. (1) A base
urtext Urtext (, from ''ur-'' "primordial" and ''text'' "text", ) may refer to: * Urtext (biblical studies), the text that is believed to precede both the Septuagint and the Masoretic text * Urtext edition An urtext edition of a work of classical mu ...
of the ''Ratnagunasaṃcaya Gāthā'', starting with the first two chapters. (2) Chapters 3 to 28 of the ''Ratnagunasaṃcaya'' were added, which were then put into prose as the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā''. To this were gradually added (3) material from the ''
Abhidharma The Abhidharma are ancient (third century BCE and later) Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic presentations of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist ''sutras''. It also refers to the scholastic method itself as well as the f ...
'', (4) concessions to the "Buddhism of Faith" (referring to
Pure Land A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). Th ...
references in the sūtra), and then (5) the expansion into the larger sūtras, their (6) contraction into the shorter sūtras (i.e. Diamond Sūtra, Heart Sūtra, down to the ''Prajñāpāramitā in One Letter''), which all in turn set the basis for the (7) Yogācārin commentaries and (8) ''
Tantras Tantras ("''doctrine''" or "''framework''" or "''system''" ) refers to numerous and varied scriptures pertaining to any of several esoteric traditions rooted in Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. The religious culture of the Tantras is essentially ...
'' and (9)
Chan Chan may refer to: Places *Chan (commune), Cambodia *Chan Lake, by Chan Lake Territorial Park in Northwest Territories, Canada People *Chan (surname), romanization of various Chinese surnames (including 陳, 曾, 詹, 戰, and 田) *Chan Caldwel ...
. Based on a similar understanding, most scholars of the Prajñāpāramitā have suggested that there is a base urtext from which the rest of the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' expanded. Similar to Conze in regards to the ''Ratnagunasaṃcaya'', scholars who hold that the first chapter of the prose sūtra is the urtext include Kōun Kajiyoshi, Yìnshùn, and
Lambert Schmithausen Lambert Schmithausen (born 17 November 1939 in Cologne, Germany) "On the Problem of the External World in the Ch'eng wei shih lun" Tokyo: The International Institute for Buddhist Studies 2005 (''Studia Philologica Buddhica'', Occasional Paper ...
. Ryūshō Hikata argued that the sūtra was composed in two phases from Chapter 1 to 25, but that material from Chapter 26 to 32 and references to
Akṣobhya Akshobhya ( sa, अक्षोभ्य, ''Akṣobhya'', "Immovable One"; ) is one of the Five Wisdom Buddhas, a product of the Adibuddha, who represents consciousness as an aspect of reality. By convention he is located in the east of the Di ...
were later developments. P.L. Vaidya is alone in suggesting that the urtext is "Dharmodgata's sermon to Sadāprarudita" at Chapter 31. Matthew Orsborn presents a dissenting opinion to the urtext theories, holding that the presence of
chiastic structure Chiastic structure, or chiastic pattern, is a literary technique in narrative motifs and other textual passages. An example of chiastic structure would be two ideas, A and B, together with variants A' and B', being presented as A,B,B',A'. Chi ...
s may point "to the entire ''sūtra'' being composed as a single and unified whole as it presently stands (more or less)," with additional materials being added around these chiastically arranged materials.


Commentarial Tradition

The primary subject of Prajñāpāramitā commentary has been the ''Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā'' version. This includes the commentaries attributed to
Nāgārjuna Nāgārjuna . 150 – c. 250 CE (disputed)was an Indian Mahāyāna Buddhist thinker, scholar-saint and philosopher. He is widely considered one of the most important Buddhist philosophers.Garfield, Jay L. (1995), ''The Fundamental Wisdom of ...
, Dignāga, and Asaṅga's ''
Abhisamayālaṅkāra The "Ornament of/for Realization , abbreviated AA, is one of five Sanskrit-language Mahayana śastras which, according to Tibetan tradition, Maitreya revealed to Asaṅga in northwest India circa the 4th century AD. (Chinese tradition recogniz ...
''. Using the ''Abhisamayālaṅkāra'' as a basis, however, Haribhadra composed a commentary on the ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'', the ''Abhisamayālaṅkārāloka'', or the "Light for the Ornament of Clear Realisation." While, owing to it being based on a commentary on a different text, the structure suggested to be present by Haribhadra does not fit perfectly, the structure as he understands it is as follows: # The Three Knowledges ## ''Knowledge of all Aspects'' Chapter 1 ## ''Knowledge of all Paths'' Chapters 2-7 ## ''All-Knowledge'' Chapter 8 # The Four Practices ## ''Full Awakening to All Aspects'' Chapters 9-19 ## ''Culmination Realisation'' Chapters 20-28 ## ''Serial Realisation'' Chapter 29 ## ''Instant Realisation'' Chapter 29 # The Dharma Body ## ''Full Awakening to the Dharma Body'' Chapters 30-32


Manuscripts and Editions

The following is a chronological survey of prominent manuscript witnesses and editions of the Sanskrit ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' text: * c. 50 CE —
Kharoṣṭhī The Kharoṣṭhī script, also spelled Kharoshthi (Kharosthi: ), was an ancient Indo-Iranian script used by various Aryan peoples in north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely around present-day northern Pakistan and e ...
manuscript from the Split Collection. This is in the Gāndhārī language and was composed in
Gandhāra Gandhāra is the name of an ancient region located in the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent, more precisely in present-day north-west Pakistan and parts of south-east Afghanistan. The region centered around the Peshawar Val ...
. * c. 140 CE — Kharoṣṭhī manuscript from the
Bajaur Collection Bajaur District ( ps, باجوړ ولسوالۍ, ur, ) is a district in Malakand Division of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. Until 2018, it was an agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, then during restructuring that merged ...
. This manuscript is also in the Gāndhārī language and was composed in Gandhāra. * c. 200 CE — Fragments in late Kuṣāṇa
Brāhmī Brahmi (; ; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such ...
from Anonymous - Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines, Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita, Decorated Leaf - 1938.301.5 - Cleveland Museum of Art.tiffhe
Schøyen collection __NOTOC__ The Schøyen Collection is one of the largest private manuscript collections in the world, mostly located in Oslo and London. Formed in the 20th century by Martin Schøyen, it comprises manuscripts of global provenance, spanning 5,000 y ...
. This manuscript is in Sanskrit but was probably also composed in Gandhāra. * 975 CE — Cambridge MS Add. 1464. Composed in
Bengal Bengal ( ; bn, বাংলা/বঙ্গ, translit=Bānglā/Bôngô, ) is a geopolitical, cultural and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, predom ...
. * c. 1000 CE — Cambridge MS Add. 1163. Composed in Nepal. * 1008 CE — Cambridge MS Add. 866. Composed in Nepal. * 1015 CE — Cambridge MS Add. 1643. Composed in
Kathmandu , pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
, Nepal. * 1264 CE — Cambridge MS Add. 1465. Composed in Nepal. * Three other Cambridge manuscripts exist. * The Nepalese-German Manuscript Cataloguing Project lists 97 ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' manuscripts in archives. The following editions have been made of the Sanskrit text: * 1888 — ed. Rajendra Lal Mitra. This edition is in Devanāgarī and was prepared using: ** a Bengali transcript of a 19th-century Nepalese original ** a Nepalese manuscript provided by
Brian Houghton Hodgson Brian Houghton Hodgson (1 February 1800 or more likely 1801 – 23 May 1894) was a pioneer naturalist and ethnologist working in India and Nepal where he was a British Resident. He described numerous species of birds and mammals from the Himala ...
dating to 1061 ** a
Nālandā Nalanda (, ) was a renowned ''mahavihara'' (Buddhist monastic university) in ancient Magadha (modern-day Bihar), India.Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, commonly known as the Royal Asiatic Society (RAS), was established, according to its royal charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the en ...
dating to 12th century ** a Nālandā manuscript from the
Asiatic Society of Bengal The Asiatic Society is a government of India organisation founded during the Company rule in India to enhance and further the cause of "Oriental research", in this case, research into India and the surrounding regions. It was founded by the p ...
dating to 1097 ** Two manuscripts from Nepal, which Mitra judged to be older than the previous manuscript ** a 12th-century manuscript of Nepalese origin * 1932-5 — ed. Unrai Wogihara. This edition corrects many of Mitra's errata, and also features the running commentary of Haribhadra using manuscripts of the ''Abhisamayālaṅkārāloka'' loaned from
Sylvain Lévi Sylvain Lévi (March 28, 1863 – October 30, 1935) was an influential French orientalist and indologist who taught Sanskrit and Indian religion at the École pratique des hautes études. Lévi's book ''Théâtre Indien'' is an important w ...
and the Calcutta Library. * 1960 — ed. Paraśurāma Lakṣmaṇa Vaidya. This edition is based on Wogihara and Mitra, and attempts to correct perceived errors in
sandhi Sandhi ( sa, सन्धि ' , "joining") is a cover term for a wide variety of sound changes that occur at morpheme or word boundaries. Examples include fusion of sounds across word boundaries and the alteration of one sound depending on near ...
.


Translations into Western Languages

The ''Aṣṭasāhasrikā'' first became known to western scholars when Brian Hodgson had obtained manuscripts of the sūtra in Nepal and sent them to the
Indologist Indology, also known as South Asian studies, is the academic study of the history and cultures, languages, and literature of the Indian subcontinent, and as such is a subset of Asian studies. The term ''Indology'' (in German, ''Indologie'') is o ...
Eugène Burnouf Eugène Burnouf (; April 8, 1801May 28, 1852) was a French scholar, an Indologist and orientalist. His notable works include a study of Sanskrit literature, translation of the Hindu text ''Bhagavata Purana'' and Buddhist text ''Lotus Sutra''. He ...
(1801-1852) in Paris for analysis. Burnouf's first impression was lack of interest, "because I saw only perpetual repetitions of the advantages and merits promised to those who obtain ''prajñāpāramitā''. But what is this ''prajñā'' itself? This is what I did not see anywhere, and what I wished to learn." Later, in his 1844 work on the history of Indian Buddhism, Burnouf presented the first detailed study of the doctrines of the Prajñāpāramitā found in the west. In that work, he also produced a translation of the first chapter and stated "I have translated, for my personal use, almost all of the ''Prajñā'' in eight thousand articles". This French translation was published in 2022 by Guillaume Ducoeur
''Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā, la Perfection de sagesse en huit mille stances''
traduite par Eugène Burnouf (1801-1852), éditée par Guillaume Ducoeur, Université de Strasbourg, 2022) . The only full published translation remains Edward Conze's 1973 translation, ''The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary.'' A translation of the first two chapters of Kumārajīva's version was published by Matt Orsborn (=Shi Huifeng) in 2018.


Outline

The structure of the sūtra can be understood in a number of ways. But four clear divisions can be noted: # Chapters 1–2: These chapters, besides setting the stage and introducing the themes of the sūtra by defining
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...
s and
mahāsattva A mahāsattva () is a great ''bodhisattva'' who has practiced Buddhism for a long time and reached a very high level on the path to awakening (''bodhi''). Generally refers to bodhisattvas who have reached at least the seventh of the ten '' bhumis''. ...
s, are also considered to be the urtext by a number of scholars. # Chapters 3–16: These chapters, according to Orsborn, expand upon the theme of the bodhisattvas' approach to understanding the Prajñāpāramitā and the benefits of the sūtra, and culminate in the bodhisattva's realisation of tathatā. This marks Chapter 16 as the central turning point in the sūtra and the centre of its chiastic structure. Pp. 284-299. # Chapters 17–29: These chapters continue to expand upon the same themes, but this time the subject as bodhisattva is characterised as irreversible on the path to buddhahood. The approach to the Prajñāpāramitā in this half can be understood as that of one who has realised tathatā. # Chapters 30–32: These chapters mark a distinct break, in that they relate the past example of the bodhisattva Sadāprarudita who seeks the Prajñāpāramitā from the teacher Dharmodgata. The sūtra is concluded with an entrustment to Ānanda.


Chapters 1-2: Introduction

Chapter 1: The Practice of the Knowledge of all Modes — While at
Vulture Peak The Vulture Peak (Pali: गिज्झकूट, Sanskrit: गृद्धकूट), also known as the Holy Eagle Peak or Gridhakūta (or Gādhrakūta), was the Buddha's favorite retreat in Rajagaha (now Rajgir, or Rajagrih). It was the scene ...
, the
Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
asks Subhūti to explain how
bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...
s realise the Prajñāpāramitā. Subhūti explains that when disciples of the Buddha who realise dharmatā teach, that is the work of the Buddha. He goes on to clarify the realisation of the Perfection of Wisdom by explaining that by cutting off the view of the inherent existence of
self The self is an individual as the object of that individual’s own reflective consciousness. Since the ''self'' is a reference by a subject to the same subject, this reference is necessarily subjective. The sense of having a self—or ''selfhood ...
and
phenomena A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried W ...
, a bodhisattva can go forth on the
Mahāyāna ''Mahāyāna'' (; "Great Vehicle") is a term for a broad group of Buddhism, Buddhist traditions, Buddhist texts#Mahāyāna texts, texts, Buddhist philosophy, philosophies, and practices. Mahāyāna Buddhism developed in India (c. 1st century BC ...
for the liberation of beings and not enter nirvāṇa halfway. However, in suchness, he points out, there are in fact no bodhisattvas, beings to save, Prajñāpāramitā, path, or nirvāṇa. Chapter 2: Śakra — In response to Śakra's request for further explanation, Subhūti points out that in suchness one cannot rely on any aggregate, state of being, or the path, all of which are illusions. All, including the Prajñāpāramitā, are said to be without beginning, middle, or end, and therefore are infinite. The
devas Devas may refer to: * Devas Club, a club in south London * Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter * Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist * Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club * Devas (band), ...
declare that they will highly regard a bodhisattva who practices as Subhūti describes—the Buddha relates how he was such a bodhisattva in the past when he met
Dīpankara Buddha Dipankara (Pali: ''Dīpaṅkara''; Sanskrit: ', "Lamp bearer") or Dipankara Buddha is one of the Buddhas of the past. He is said to have lived on Earth four asankheyyas and one hundred thousand kappas ago. According to some Buddhist or folk tr ...
.


Chapters 3-16: The Bodhisattva's Training in the Prajñāpāramitā

Chapter 3. Reverence for the Receptacle of the Perfections, which holds Immeasurable Good Qualities — This chapter emphasises the worldly benefits of practicing the Prajñāpāramitā and writing it as a book and worshipping it. The devas also declare that they will come and gather around one who does this. This chapter also points out that the Prajñāpāramitā is the root of the other of the Six Pāramitās. Worshipping the Prajñāpāramitā as a book is said to be superior to worshipping stūpas because it is the source of buddhas themselves. Chapter 4. The Proclamation of Qualities — Śakra points out that the Prajñāpāramitā is the source of all buddhas, thus in worshipping
buddha relics Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in Lu ...
one is really worshipping the Prajñāpāramitā. Prajñāpāramitā, also, ultimately contains the other five pāramitās—so practicing it allows one to practice the others. Chapter 5. The Revolution of Merit — Practicing the Prajñāpāramitā is said to be of great
merit Merit may refer to: Religion * Merit (Christianity) * Merit (Buddhism) * Punya (Hinduism) * Imputed righteousness in Reformed Christianity Companies and brands * Merit (cigarette), a brand of cigarettes made by Altria * Merit Energy Company, ...
, but teaching it to others is said to be even greater. However, if it is taught in the form of annihilationist doctrine, it is called the "counterfeit Prajñāpāramitā." Finally, it is declared to be the greatest gift since it renders full
buddhahood In Buddhism, Buddha (; Pali, Sanskrit: 𑀩𑀼𑀤𑁆𑀥, बुद्ध), "awakened one", is a title for those who are awake, and have attained nirvana and Buddhahood through their own efforts and insight, without a teacher to point out ...
. Chapter 6. Dedication and jubilation — The chapter points out that one should rejoice in the merit of others and one's own practice and dedicate it to attaining buddhahood, but without perceiving any sign in doing so. Chapter 7. Hell — While the Prajñāpāramitā should be considered the
teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...
, it is not to be thought of as procuring anything and should be practiced through non-practice: this leads beings to nirvāṇa but does not result in perceiving beings or nirvāṇa. If one obtains the sūtra, it is said to be because one encountered the buddhas previously, but that it is understood depending upon one's conditions. If, however, one rejects the Prajñāpāramitā,
hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location in the afterlife in which evil souls are subjected to punitive suffering, most often through torture, as eternal punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hell ...
is said to be the retribution. Chapter 8. Purity – This chapter points out that ultimately the
skandha (Sanskrit) or (Pāḷi) means "heaps, aggregates, collections, groupings". In Buddhism, it refers to the five aggregates of clinging (), the five material and mental factors that take part in the rise of craving and clinging. They are also ...
s are pure, and so is the Prajñāpāramitā. Seeing this one is non-attached, but not seeing it, one develops attachment. Teaching and not teaching the Prajñāpāramitā and the skandhas is said to have no effect upon their increase or decrease, since they are ultimately like space. The Buddha points out that just as he teaches, so did all past buddhas, and so will
Maitreya Maitreya (Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed at ...
in the future. Chapter 9. Praise — The Prajñāpāramitā is declared to be just a name which is not produced, stopped, defiled, or pure. Beings who hear it will be free from suffering, but some people will be hostile to its spread. Nonetheless, it is said to be pure and neither proceeds nor recedes due to its unproduced and isolated nature. Chapter 10. Proclamation of the Qualities of Bearing in Mind — This chapter emphasises how people who practice the Prajñāpāramitā have planted karmic roots with past buddhas. If one encounters it and is not afraid, one is said to be near to realising the Prajñāpāramitā, and one develops one's practice in this regard by not mentally constructing the path. While
Māra Māra is the highest-ranking goddess in Latvian mythology, Mother Earth, a feminine counterpart to Dievs. She takes spirits after death. She may be thought as the alternate side of Dievs (like in Yin and Yang). Other Latvian goddesses, somet ...
will try to obstruct such bodhisattvas, they will be sustained by the buddhas. It is said that the sūtra will spread long after the Buddha's nirvāṇa and that those who search for it will find it in one to two lives. Chapter 11. Māra's Deeds — This chapter returns to the topic of Māra by pointing out how he will try to dissuade bodhisattvas from the Prajñāpāramitā. He does this in particular by making bodhisattvas slothful, creating obstacles between the student and his teacher, making them feel like the Śrāvakayāna sūtras are of greater value, and manifesting as people, such as an illusory buddha, who will give rise to doubts through misleading teachings. Chapter 12. Showing the World — This chapter emphasises how the Prajñāpāramitā is the mother of the buddhas: therefore they care for her, just as a child for his mother, by teaching the Prajñāpāramitā. The world to which it is taught is declared to be made up of
empty Empty may refer to: ‍ Music Albums * ''Empty'' (God Lives Underwater album) or the title song, 1995 * ''Empty'' (Nils Frahm album), 2020 * ''Empty'' (Tait album) or the title song, 2001 Songs * "Empty" (The Click Five song), 2007 * ...
skandha (Sanskrit) or (Pāḷi) means "heaps, aggregates, collections, groupings". In Buddhism, it refers to the five aggregates of clinging (), the five material and mental factors that take part in the rise of craving and clinging. They are also ...
s, and thus the world, too, is said to be empty. Similarly all beings' thoughts are characterised by emptiness, are identical to suchness, and are inherently pure. One cannot fix onto any
phenomenon A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried W ...
, just like space, and are ultimately unknowable—viewing them thus through non-viewing is said to be viewing the world. Chapter 13. Unthinkable — The Prajñāpāramitā is said to be unthinkable and incalculable like space. The same is so of all skandhas, phenomena, attainments. All of the
levels Level or levels may refer to: Engineering *Level (instrument), a device used to measure true horizontal or relative heights *Spirit level, an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface is horizontal or vertical *Canal pound or level *Regr ...
of the path are said to work through the agency of the Prajñāpāramitā as a minister does a king's work. The Prajñāpāramitā is summarised as being the non-attachment to any phenomena. It is said to be heard due to one's karmic roots, and accepting it is said to accelerate one's progress on the path. Chapter 14. Similes — This chapter points out that practitioners of the Prajñāpāramitā may have been born in a
buddha-field A pure land is the celestial realm of a buddha or bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism. The term "pure land" is particular to East Asian Buddhism () and related traditions; in Sanskrit the equivalent concept is called a buddha-field (Sanskrit ). The ...
in a previous life, but that generally they will be born as humans. If one fails to understand the Prajñāpāramitā, it may have been due to failing to question buddhas about it in the past. Moreover, the chapter suggests that if a bodhisattva does not rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā and skilful means, they may backslide to the
śrāvakayāna Śrāvakayāna ( sa, श्रावकयान; pi, सावकयान; ) is one of the three '' yānas'' known to Indian Buddhism. It translates literally as the "vehicle of listeners .e. disciples. Historically it was the most common te ...
or
pratyekabuddhayāna Pratyekabuddhayāna (Sanskrit: प्रत्येकबुद्धयान; ) is a Buddhist term for the mode or vehicle of enlightenment of a pratyekabuddha or paccekabuddha (Sanskrit and Pali respectively), a term which literally means "so ...
. Chapter 15. Gods — This chapter suggests that bodhisattva training relies upon good friends who point out the Prajñāpāramitā. These are equated to bodhisattvas who abide in signless suchness, and who do not tremble in encountering the Prajñāpāramitā. It suggests that the bodhisattva aspiration is not related to phenomena, and that the non-grasping nature of the Dharma is demonstrated through non-demonstration. Chapter 16. Suchness — This chapter, being the turning point in terms of identifying the end of retrogression in the realisation of suchness, emphasises that the Buddha, suchness, and phenomena are identical and non-dual—to know this is said to be buddhahood. Those who have backslided, as suggested in Chapter 14, must rely upon the Prajñāpāramitā in order to once again enter the buddhayāna. In that regard, the difficulty of buddhahood is said to be that there is no one to attain it, and no three yānas by which to approach it—awakening is knowing this without trembling.


Chapters 17-29: The Irreversible Bodhisattva's Training in the Prajñāpāramitaa

Chapter 17. Attributes, Tokens, and Signs of Irreversibility — Having attained irreversibility, a bodhisattva has no doubt of his irreversibility. Without doubt, their conduct is pure and continue to work for beings' benefit. They cannot be dissuaded by Māra, who will be easily recognised by them. Chapter 18. Emptiness — Bodhisattva stages are equated with suchness. Reflecting upon them, a bodhisattva develops the Prajñāpāramitā. The greatest of deeds is excelled by practicing the Prajñāpāramitā for even a single day. Awakening never increases or decreases to such a bodhisattva, whose activities and merits are said to be ineffable. Chapter 19. The Goddess of the Ganges — Awakening is said to arise depending upon the first and last bodhicitta aspiration, but not directly by either. In suchness, development to awakening is said to only be a convention. Objective bases are said to be that upon which discriminative actions depend, but they are said to be empty. Moreover,
conditionality In political economy and international relations, conditionality is the use of conditions attached to the provision of benefits such as a loan, debt relief or bilateral aid. These conditions are typically imposed by international financial institu ...
is said to only exist by convention of speech, but not in reality. Practicing thus without fear, a bodhisattva should endure misfortunes and dedicate them to awakening. The Goddess of the Ganges gains faith in the Prajñāpāramitā and it is predicted that after she studies under the Buddha Akṣobhya, she will become a Buddha called Suvarṇapuṣpa. Chapter 20. Discussion of Skill in Means — This chapter describes how a bodhisattva can engage in skilful means by remaining in the world and not entering nirvāṇa in order to benefit beings. They do this by holding back from realising the reality-limit. They continue by developing the pāramitās and engaging in non-attachment. They can know their own irreversibility when they see signs in their dreams, and develop powers. Chapter 21. Māra's Deeds — Returning to the topic of Māra, this chapter points out how Māra may give rise to conceit in bodhisattvas by making them mistakenly think they attained powers, or implanting false memories of past lives as monks, or predictions to buddhahood. Becoming conceited, the bodhisattvas will renounce the Prajñāpāramitā and return to the śrāvakayāna or pratyekabuddhayāna. Similarly, bodhisattvas living in isolation are said to be particularly targeted by Māra, who will give rise to their arrogance against city-dwelling bodhisattvas. It is emphasised that these can be counteracted by honouring the good friends. Chapter 22. The Good Friends — The true good friends are declared to be the Six Pāramitās, with Prajñāpāramitā as their key. Relying upon it, a bodhisattva sees all as empty and pure. Thus, the Prajñāpāramitā is equated to a precious jewel. Also, in this way, beings and the Prajñāpāramitā are said to neither increase or decrease, and by not practicing in anything one practices in the Prajñāpāramitā. Chapter 23. Śakra — It is said that by practicing and teaching the Prajñāpāramitā, all devas are surpassed by a bodhisattva. The devas will therefore protect that bodhisattva—but they can only accomplish this through the Buddha's power. Chapter 24. Conceit — If, however, a bodhisattva does not practice the Prajñāpāramitā properly, they will be open to Māra who will give rise to their conceit. However, by practicing repentance, a bodhisattva can avoid malice and regard all bodhisattvas as their teacher and avoid competitive-mindedness. Chapter 25. Training — To train in omniscience, a bodhisattva trains in suchness, without grasping onto either. It is also suggested in this chapter that the number of bodhisattvas who truly train in the Prajñāpāramitā are very few in number, but that the merit of practicing the Prajñāpāramitā is greater than any other practice. Bodhisattvas are thus able to teach śrāvakas by learning about their qualities, but do not fall to their yāna. Chapter 26. Like Illusion — While bodhisattvas surpass all except buddhas, and the merits of their bodhicitta is said to be boundless, they are an illusion, and thus cannot know the illusion that is also full awakening. Their bodhicitta, too, is an illusion. Thus, they act conventionally in the world as puppets—knowing that this is hard to do, while there is no one to do it and nothing to do. Chapter 27. The Core — In this way, bodhisattva practice is insubstantial, but they do not lose motivation because there is nothing that is there to lose motivation. Bodhisattvas practicing in this way are protected by devas, and praised by buddhas and bodhisattvas from other worlds. Chapter 28. Avakīrṇakusuma — The Buddha declares that all the monks in the assembly will become buddhas called Avakīrṇakusuma. The Buddha then entrusts the sūtra to
Ānanda Ānanda (5th4th century BCE) was the primary attendant of the Buddha and one of his ten principal disciples. Among the Buddha's many disciples, Ānanda stood out for having the best memory. Most of the texts of the early Buddhist '' Sutta-Pi ...
for the first time, declaring that it should be worshipped. The Buddha makes a vision of Akṣobhya's buddha-field arise and cease, and says that just as it arises and ceases, one should not train in a fixed idea. In this way, the Prajñāpāramitā is declared to be boundless, and thus its form in book form is not really the Prajñāpāramitā. Finally it is said that the Prajñāpāramitā is consummated through seeing non-extinction of the skandhas and seeing the links of dependent origination. Chapter 29. Approaches — The approach to the Prajñāpāramitā is said to be through non-conceptualisation in 54 aspects. The declarations of the Prajñāpāramitā are to be approached through the "roaring of a lion," but one should also know that the qualities of the skandhas are equal to those of the Prajñāpāramitā. Bodhisattvas who practice with this understanding are said to find it easy to become a buddha.


Chapters 30-32: Sadāprarudita and Conclusion

Chapter 30. Sadāprarudita — The Buddha teaches Subhūti that one should seek the Prajñāpāramitā just like the Bodhisattva Sadāprarudita ("Always Weeping"). In relating his story, the Buddha explains that Sadāprarudita, who seeks the Prajñāpāramitā, is told to go east by a voice, and then told by visions of the buddhas to seek the teacher Dharmodgata in Gandhavatī. Sadāprarudita's desire at that point is to know from whence the buddhas came and to where they went. Not having anything to offer the teacher as payment, Sadāprarudita offers himself for payment, but Māra deafens everyone so that they cannot hear him. Knowing this, Śakra manifests as a brahmin who offers to buy Sadāprarudita's heart, blood, and marrow. Agreeing and dissecting himself, he is saved by a merchant's daughter who offers to help him with her riches. Seeing his resolve, Śakra restores Sadāprarudita's dissected body parts and magically disappears. After finding Dharmodgata and honouring him, Sadāprarudita asks him from whence the buddhas came and to where they went. Chapter 31. Dharmodgata — In response, Dharmodgata suggests that the buddhas neither come nor go, since they are suchness. Sadāprarudita, rising in the air, offers himself to Dharmodgata. The merchant's daughter does likewise. Dharmodgata enters a
samādhi ''Samadhi'' (Pali and sa, समाधि), in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools, is a state of meditation, meditative consciousness. In Buddhism, it is the last of the eight elements of the Noble Eightfold Path. In the Ash ...
for seven years—during this time, Sadāprarudita and the merchant's daughter stand outside his house for seven years. After leaving his samādhi, Dharmodgata teaches them the Prajñāpāramitā. Following this, Sadāprarudita enters millions of samādhis, including that of the "sameness of all phenomena." Chapter 32. Entrusting — The Buddha concludes by saying that Sadāprarudita, from then on, was never deprived of vision of the buddhas. After this, the Buddha again entrusts the sūtra to Ānanda, instructing him to copy and worship it as a book. He declares that so long as the Prajñāpāramitā exists, so long does the Buddha continue to teach the Dharma.


References

{{reflist Mahayana sutras Vaipulya sutras