Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s5.t1: Tripitaka
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s5.t1
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Tripitaka
v1.c7.s5.t1.1
Like Tripitaka in Chinese or Pali version, “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” of *Sutra Pitika*, *Vinaya Pitika* and *Abhidharma Pitika* (Three Treasures) is renowned as a complete collection of Buddhist sutra. In Tripitaka, *Sutra Pitika* refers to the sermons attributed to Shakyamuni Buddha, *Vinaya Pitika* refers to the discipline in practice to act according to the rules and regulations and Abhidharma Pitika refers to the philosophical works such as discourses, discussions or treatises on the dogma and doctrines of Buddhism. Meanwhile, “Bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” is the common name of all Tibetan Buddhism scriptures and falls into two parts: “bkav vgyur” (original) and “bstan vgyur” (counterpart). The former refers to *Sutra Pitika* and *Vinaya Pitika* and the latter refers to *Abhidharma Pitika*. The “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” includes over 4,570 sutras in early, middle and late Buddhist Period and encompasses *sutra*, *vinaya* and *abhidharma* (Three Treasures), *Kriya Tantra*, *Carya Tantra*, *Yoga Tantra* and *Maha-anuttara Yoga Tantra* plus grammer, poetry, arts, logic, astronomy, calendar, medicine and technology etc. *Tripitaka* in Chinese or Pali version contains no major part of sutras in Tantric Buddhist *hetu-vidya* and *Pramānavāda*, suggesting the importance of “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” in study into Buddhism.
v1.c7.s5.t1.2
“Bkav vgyur”, also named as Dharma or original scripture, the collection of verbal directions of Sakyamuni Budda, was compiled by his disciples for six times after collection, memory and reciting, includes *Sutra Pitika*, *Vinaya Pitika* and *Abhidharma Pitika* (Three Treasures) and has seven serilas, namely, “vDul Ba”, “Shes Phyin”, “Phal Chen”, “dKon bRtsegs”, “mDo Sde”, “rgyud sde bshi” and “DKar Chag”, totalling 108 parts (cases). There is minor variation in different “bkav vgyur” of different version. For instance, “bStan vGyur” has 108 parts (cases) and nine serials.
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Serials 1 vDul Ba; Serials 2, Shes Phyin; Serials 3, Phal Chen; Serials 4, Dkon bRtsegs; Serials 5, mDo Sde; Serials 6, Rgyud vBum; Serials 7, Rnying Rgyud; Serials 8, Dus Vkhor vgrel bShad; and, Serials 9, gZungs vDus.
v1.c7.s5.t1.4
“Bstan vgyur”, collection of Tibetan Buddhist sacred literature on the commentaries and treaties of “bkav vgyur” by Indian and Tibetan Buddhist masters, monks and lotsawa has 18 serials such as “bStod Tshogs”, “rgyud sde bshi”, “Shes Phyin”, “d Bu Ma”, “mDo vGrel”, “Sems Tsm”, “Prajn apti”, “vDul Ba”, “Skyes Rabs”, “Spreng Yig”, “Tshad Ma”, “Sgra mDo”, “gSo Rig Pa”, “bZo Rig Pa”, “Thun Mong Ba Lugs Kyi”, “bStan bCos”, “Sna Tshogs”, “Jo Bovi Chos Chung” and “Dkar Chag” and totals 225 parts (cases). It is hailed as the Encyclopedia of Tibetan studies encompassing philosophy, literature, arts, language, logic, astronomy, calendar, medicine, technology and architecture.
v1.c7.s5.t1.5
There is minor variation in “bstan vgyur” of different versions. For instance, “bStan vGyur” has a total of 232 parts (cases), including “rig gnas bcu”. The catalogue is as follows:
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Serials 1, bStod Tshogs; Serials 2, Rgyud; Serials 3, Shes Phyin; Serials 4, dBu Ma; Serials 5, mDo vGrel; Serials 6, Sems Tsm; Serials 7, mNgon Pa; Serials 8, vDul Ba; Serials 9, Skyes Rabs; Serials 10, Spreng Yig; Serials 11, Tshad Ma; Serials 12, Sgra mDo; Serials 13, gSo Rig Pa; Serials 14, bZo Rig Pa; Serials 15, Thun Mong Ba Lugs Kyi bStan bCos; Serials 16, Sna Tshogs; Serials 17, Jo Bovi Chos Chung; Serials 18, DKar Chag.
v1.c7.s5.t1.7
As early as 8^th^ century CE, “Bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” was translated and compiled to take shape. In modern times, it was constantly revised and printed to produce different versions. During the Tubo period (8^th^-9^th^ centuries CE), “idan dkar ma”, “mchims phu ma” and “vphang thang ma” and “Dkar Chag” were complied in succession, which were embryo of “Bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” and spread by means of handwritten copy or copybook.
v1.c7.s5.t1.8
In 14^th^ century CE, “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” was recompiled at Na Tong Temple as the first rare edition at bstan pa phyi dar, also known as the Na Tong ancient edition. In 1410, “bkav vgyur” was printed as Yongle editon of “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” on the basis of Na Tong Ancient Edition in Nanjing. Since most of sutras were printed with cinnabar, Yongle edition of “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur” was also called the red character edition. In 1605, “bstan vgyur” was printed as the Wanli edition of “bod yig gyi bkav bstan vgyur”. The Yongle edition and the Wanli edition of “bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur” were two milestones in the development history of “bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur”. From then on, the “bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur” spread by means of wood-block printing instead of handwritten copy.
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The “bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur” of Li Tang edition was printed in late Ming Dynasty and early Qing Dynasty (1628-1644). Under the sponsorship of Yunnan Lijiang Naxi Nationality chieftain Mu Zeng, the sixth Karmapa Red-hat Sect Living Buddha Chos-kyi-dbang-phyug presided over the printing of "bkav vgyur" which was the first printed "bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur" in Tibet. Without printing "bstan vgyur", the edition was called the Li Tang edition of "bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur" because it was stored at Li Tang temple.
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The Beijing edition of "bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur" was also known as the Songzhou Temple edition. In 1683, the hand-written Shalu edition of "bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur" was printed at Shongzhu Temple in Beijing. "Bkav vgyur" was printed in the reign of Qing Emperor Kangxi and "bstan vgyur" was printed in the second year of the reign of Qing Emperor Yongzheng. In the second year of the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong (1737), "bkav vgyur" and "bstan vgyur" were recompiled and published as Qianlong revised edition in history. For it was printed in Beiing, it was called the Beijing edition of "bod yig giy bkav bstan vgyur".
v1.c7.s5.t1.11
The Zhuoni edition of "bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur" was printed at Anduozhuoni Temple in present-day Lintan County, Gansu Province and it was named after Anduozhuoni Temple. At first, it took 10 years to print "bkav vgyur", totalling 108 parts (cases) from 1721 to 1731, and then, it took 19 years to print "bstan vgyur", totalling 209 parts (cases) from 1753 to 1772.
v1.c7.s5.t1.12
Since "BStan vGyur" was printed at Dege Sutra-Printing House in Gan Zi Dege County, Sichuan Province from 1730 to 1737, it was named after Dege Sutra-printing House. "Bkav vgyur" was reprinted from Li Tang edition and "bstan vgyur" was printed on the basis of the handwritten Shalu edition of "bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur" plus sutras in "DKar Chag" by Bu-ston. The complete set of wood-block edition was stored at Dege Sutra Printing House.
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The seventh Dalai Lama Kelsang Gyatso (1708-1757) and Tibet Prince Polhanas presided over the printing of new Na Tong edition of "bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur" based on Na Tong ancient edition and "bkav vgyur and bstan vgyur" compiled and stored by bu-ston chos-vbyung at Shalu Temple. The new edition of "bkav vgyur" was completed in 1730 and totalled 102 parts (cases) and over 50,000 sutra blocks and the new edition of "bstan vgyur" was completed in 1742 and totalled 225 parts (cases) and over 70,000 sutra blocks. The complete set of new wood-block Na Tong edition was originally stored at Na Tong Temple and lost at last. It was hailed as the best edition boasting exquisite carving craftsmanship and excellent collation.
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"Bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur" was a great masterpiece co-translated by China's Tibetan eminent monks and Indian monks. According to preliminary statistics by bus ton-rin chen grub (1290-1364), 192 Indian paditas and lo tsa bas participated in the translation of "bod yig giy kbav bstan vgyur" from the middle 8th century CE to the early 14th century CE sticking to the translation principle of inviting India eminent monks to assist in translating sutras to ensure excellent translation quality and consequently the vast majority of sutras were translated from Sanskrit to Tibetan.
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(*Tong Wei*)
Linked texts (1)
- Vinayapiṭaka — Pāli