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The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature c13: Appendix

The Bodhisattva Doctrine in Buddhist Sanskrit Literature c13

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English

Appendix

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CHRONOLOGICAL NOTES ON THE PRINCIPAL SANSKRIT TREATISES THAT HAVE BEEN UTILISED FOR THIS ESSAY (compiled from various sources)

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(1) *Mahā-vastu* ("The Book of the Great Event or Subject"). In its oldest form, it was probably extant in the early part of the third century B.C. The final redaction probably dates from the sixth or seventh century A.D. (fourth century, according to M. Winternitz and A. B. Keith). Cf. Vassilief, p. 270; ZDMG., vol. lii, 1898, p. 673; *Indologica Pragensia* i, p. 76 (1929); "Journal des Savants," 1899, p. 628; *Tāranātha*, p. 271, l. 1; "Cambridge History of India," vol. i, p. 304; J. N. Farquhar, "Outline," p. 110.

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(2) *Lalita-vistara* ("Extended Account of the Sport"). Nos. 159 and 160 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. Translated into Chinese four times: A.D. 221-63, 308, 420-79, and 683. Its oldest parts may be assigned to the third century B.C., and its final redaction to the sixth century A.D. (second century, according to M. Winternitz).

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Cf. *Lal. V. Tib.*, vol. ii, p. xvi; *Nettipakaraṇa*, p. xxvii; "Abhandlungen und Vorträge des fünften internationalen Orientalisten-Congresses" (Zweite Hälfte), pp. 107-22 (Berlin, 1882); JRAS. 1856, pp. 242 ff.; JA. 1892, p. 202; A. Foucher, "Art," vol. ii, p. 674; M. Winternitz, "Lit." ii, 200; S. Beal, "Abstract," p. 12; S. Beal, "Catena," p. 13; A. Grünwedel, "Mythologie," p. 4; A. Grünwedel, "Art," p. 85; G. K. Nariman, "Lit." p. 26.

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(3) *Sad-dharma-puṇḍarīka* ("The White Lotus of the true Dharma or Faith"). Nos. 134, 136, 138, 139 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. Translated into Chinese in A.D. 255, and later. The earliest part (chaps. i-xx) may belong to the first century B.C., while the supplementary chapters (xxi-xxvi) date from the third century A.D.

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(4) *Sukhāvatī-vyūha* ("The Structure or Arrangement of the Region of Bliss"). The word *vyūha* has also been translated as "description". This treatise exists in two recensions, of which the larger was translated into Chinese in A.D. 148-70. Nos. 23 (5), 25, 26, 27 and 863 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. Dates from first century B.C. The smaller treatise may be assigned to the fourth century (Nos. 199, 200 in B. Nanjio's catalogue).

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(5) Aṣvaghoṣa's *Buddha-carita* and *Saundarānanda-Kāvya*. The original *Buddha-carita* is available in Sanskrit only in a truncated form (Cantos i-xiii and 32 verses of Canto xiv). Aṣvaghoṣa was the preceptor of Kaniṣka, who flourished in the first century A.D.

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Cf. Vassilief, p. 77; JA. 1892, p. 203; “I-tsing,” p. 481; “Cambridge History of India,” vol. i, pp. 582, 583, 703; BEFEO. 1904, p. 56.

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(6) *Aṣṭa-sāhasrikā Prajñā-pāramitā* (“The Perfection of Wisdom” in 8,000 “verses”). No. 1 (*e*) in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. Translated into Chinese A.D. 179. It may be assigned to the first century B.C.

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(7) *Śata-sāhasrikā Prajñā-pāramitā* (“The Perfection of Wisdom” in 100,000 “verses”). No. 1 (*a*) in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. Translated into Chinese A.D. 659. Belongs probably to the fifth century A.D. Only chapters i-xii have been utilised.

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(8) *Vajra-cchedikā Prajñā-pāramitā* (“The Diamond-Cutter : a Treatise on the Perfection of Wisdom”). Nos. 1 (*i*), 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. First translated into Chinese about A.D. 400. Dates from the fourth century A.D.

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These treatises on *Prajñā-pāramitā* are attributed to Nāgārjuna, who lived in the second century A.D. (according to M. Walleser and S. Beal). But internal evidence proves that they were not written by the same author. We may regard “Nāgārjuna” as a group-name for the pioneers of the Mahāyāna, the most eminent of whom was the philosopher Nāgārjuna.

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Cf. Tāranātha, pp. 87, 127, 131; Vassilief, p. 213; *Rājatarangiṇī*, i, 172-3, p. 8 (ed. M. A. Stein, Bombay, 1892); J. Takakusu in ERE., iv, 838*a*; *JRAS*. 1905, p. 53; JBTS., vol. v, pt. iv, p. 15; “Lehrbuch,” ii, 183; ZII. 1928, p. 224; “Ind. Ant.,” xv, 1886, p. 356*b*; “Zeitschrift für Buddhismus,” Bd. vi, Heft 2, 1925, p. 242.

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(9) *Mūla-madhyamaka-kārikāḥ* (“Verses on the fundamental doctrines of the Mādhyamika school”). This treatise is also attributed to Nāgārjuna.

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(10) *Dharma-saṅgraha* (“Compendium of the Doctrine”). It is erroneously attributed to Nāgārjuna. It may be assigned to the seventh or eighth century A.D., as it was translated into Chinese in the tenth century. No. 812 in B. Nanjio’s catalogue.

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(11) *Avadāna-śataka* (“A Century of instructive Stories”). No. 1324 in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. First translated into Chinese A.D. 223-53. The word *dīnāra* is mentioned in it. Early second century A.D. The first ten stories are Mahāyānist in spirit; the rest belong to the Hinayāna.

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Cf. “Annales du Musée Guimet,” vol. xviii, 1891, pp. ix ff.; T’oung-Pao, 1907, pp. 106, 110; JA. 1879, tome 14, p. 151; JRAS. 1907, pp. 681 ff.; JRAS. 1915, pp. 504 ff.

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(12) *Divy-āvadāna* (“The Heavenly Stories”). Nos. 1343, 1344 in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. The oldest portions date from the second century B.C.; they were included in the Vinaya of the *Mūla-sarvāstivādin* sect. The final redaction may be assigned to the sixth century A.D. (third century, according to M. Winternitz). Mainly Hinayāna.

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Cf. J. Przyluski, "Asoka," p. 14; A. Gawronski, "Studies," pp. 49, 54; A. B. Keith, "Lit.," p. viii.

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(13) Daça-bhūmika-sūtra ("The Treatise on the Ten Stages"). Nos. 105 and 110 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. First translated into Chinese in A.D. 265-316. Dates from early third century.

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(14) Mahāyāna-sūtrālaṅkāra ("The Ornament of the Mahāyāna Texts"), with a prose commentary. The verses are usually attributed to Asaṅga, who lived in the fourth century A.D. But H. Ui has proved that they were written by Maitreyanātha, to whom he assigns the date 270-350. The prose commentary was composed by Vasubandhu, who lived in the first half of the fourth century (according to N. Péri, BEFEO. xi, 1911, p. 384).

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Cf. JRAS. 1905, p. 43, ll. 17-19; JA. 1890, tome xvi, p. 553; M. S. Al. tr., p. 2; ERE. xiii, 256a; U. Wogihara, Bo. Bhū., p. 16; A. Barth in RHR., vol. xxviii (1893), p. 258, note 2; ZII., Bd. 6, Heft 2, 1928, pp. 217, 223, 224.

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(15) Bodhisattva-bhūmi. This is the only portion of the Yog-ācārya (ācāra)-bhūmi-çāstra that is available in Sanskrit. It has been attributed to Maitreya or Asaṅga (fourth century A.D.). The palm-leaf manuscript dates from the ninth century. Cf. U. Wogihara in ZDMG. 1904, p. 452. In a few passages the MS. reading is corrupt, e.g. fol. 125a, l. 4, section 2; fol. 126b, 2, 2; fol. 126b, 6, 3.

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(16) Laṅk-āvatāra-sūtra ("The treatise on the Visit to Ceylon"). Nos. 175, 176, 177 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. Translated into Chinese in 443, 513, and 700-4. The versified tenth chapter is not found in the earliest Chinese version. Approximate date: Early fourth century.

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Cf. G. Tucci in IHQ., vol. iv, 1928, pp. 546, 551; S. Dasgupta, "History," p. 128, note 1.

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(17) Samādhi-rāja-sūtra ("Treatise on the King of Samādhis, Modes of Concentration"). This treatise is the same as "Candra-dīpa-samādhi-sūtra", which is mentioned in B. Nanjio's catalogue (Nos. 191, 192). First translated into Chinese about A.D. 450. Belongs to the fourth century.

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(18) Suvarṇa-prabhāsa ("The Splendour of Gold"). In its original form, it was translated into Chinese in A.D. 397-439, and again in an expanded version in the seventh century. Nos. 126, 127, 130 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. The earliest recension may be assigned to the fourth century A.D.

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(19) Karuṇā-puṇḍarīka-sūtra ("The treatise of the White Lotus of Compassion"). No. 142 in B. Nanjio's catalogue. Translated into Chinese in the fifth century. Probable date: Fourth century.

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(20) Jātaka-mālā ("The Garland of Birth-stories"). It was written by Āryaçura, whom Tāranātha identifies with Açvaghoṣa and Mātṛceta! He may be assigned to the sixth century. An earlier date has been suggested (fourth century) on the ground that one of his treatises was translated into Chinese in A.D. 434 (Nanjio, No. 1349); but this small pamphlet was almost certainly not written by Āryaçura, especially as the *Jātaka-mālā* was not translated into Chinese. Some verses from this book are quoted in the inscriptions describing the paintings in the Ajanta caves.

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Cf. A. O. Ivanovski in RHR., tome 47, 1903, pp. 298 ff.; K. Watanabe in JPTS. 1909, p. 263; *Tāranātha*, pp. 90, 136; JRAS. 1893, p. 306; “I-tsing,” pp. 162, 163, 177; RHR., tome 28, 1893, p. 260; Album Kern, pp. 405, 408; J. Burgess, “Report on the Buddhist Cave Temples,” 1883, p. 81, l. 16; “Nachrichten von der Königl. Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Phil-Hist. Klasse,” 1902, pp. 759, 762; Lady Herringham, “Ajanta,” p. 18a, l. 45; Vincent A. Smith, “Art,” p. 274; *Tāranātha*, p. 5.

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(21) *Rāṣṭrapāla-paripṛcchā* (“The Inquiry of Rāṣṭrapāla”). This treatise was translated into Chinese early in the seventh century. No. 23 (18) in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. Probable date: Sixth century.

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(22) *Nāg-ānanda* (“The Joy of the Nāgas or Serpent-folk”). This play is attributed to King Harṣa (Harṣadeva, Harṣavardhana), who lived in the first half of the seventh century.

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(23) *Çikṣā-samuccaya* (“Compendium of Teaching”). The author was Çāntideva, who probably lived in the seventh or eighth century. A Tibetan version of the treatise dates from the early ninth century. Cf. *Tāranātha*, p. 5.

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(24) *Bodhi-cary-āvatāra* (“The Entrance to the Practice or Career for Enlightenment”). This is a poem by Çāntideva. There seems to be no reason to doubt the authenticity of the last canto.

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(25) *Çiṣya-lekha* (“Letter to a Disciple”). This short poem is attributed to Candragomin. S. Lévi has shown that this author lived in the seventh century (BEFEO. 1903, p. 38). Cf. *Tāranātha*, p. 152, ll. 14, 15.

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(26) *Kāraṇḍa-vyūha* (“Description or Structure of the Basket,” of the Virtues and Powers of Avalokiteçvara). No. 782 in B. Nanjio’s catalogue. Translated into Chinese in the tenth century. It may be assigned to the eighth or ninth century.

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(27) *Mahā-vyutpatti* (“The great Treatise on Etymology”). This compendium of technical terms dates from the ninth century. Cf. L. de la Vallée Poussin, ERE. ii, 257, note.

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(28) *Bodhisattva-avadāna-kalpalatā* (“The wish-fulfilling Creeper of the Stories of the bodhisattva”). This treatise contains 108 versified narratives, of which 107 were composed by Kṣemendra and the 108th was added by his son. Kṣemendra lived in the eleventh century. Cf. R. Mitra, “Sanskrit Buddhist Literature of Nepal,” p. 57 (Calcutta, 1882).

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the *Gesta Romanorum*, the *Legenda Aurea* of Jacobus de Voragine, and the *Speculum Historiale* of Vincent of Beauvais. These were the books that fed the imagination of the Middle Ages, and they were the books that the Church, in its wisdom, provided for the instruction and edification of the faithful.

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But the Church did not merely provide books; it also provided the means of their dissemination. The monastic scriptoria, where monks labored in silence to copy the sacred texts, were the precursors of the printing press. And when the press finally arrived, it was the Church that first harnessed its power, using it to spread the word of God to the corners of the earth. The Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed in Europe, was a testament to the Church's commitment to the written word.

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Yet, even as the Church championed the spread of knowledge, it also sought to control it. The *Index Librorum Prohibitorum*, or List of Prohibited Books, was a tool used by the Church to suppress ideas it deemed dangerous or heretical. This tension between the desire to educate and the need to control would define the Church's relationship with literature for centuries to come.

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It is a complex history, one that is marked by both enlightenment and suppression. But it is a history that cannot be ignored, for it is the history of the very foundation of Western civilization. The Church, in its role as the guardian of knowledge, has shaped the way we think, the way we write, and the way we understand the world around us.

Cites (12)