The Mahayanapitaka-Sutra Studies

The Mahayanapitaka-sutra interpreted by words,"bodhisattva-pitaka" should be explained as" collections of Mahayana". It was the first sutra after XuanZang returning home. He has started to translate this sutra during the19year of Zhenguan(645), the work was completed in September, the same year. As a separate booklet,the Mahayanapitaka-sutra was firstly attracted and highly evaluated by Gaozong of Tang who also wrote the epilogue of the Mahayanapitaka-sutra. Meanwhile, from S3565v and P2987,we found that this sutra had already been well known in public. As one of the classics, even though the Mahayanapitaka-sutra was edited into Maharatnakuta-sutra(702),it was in fashion in Dunhuang reign for the period of the Tibetan regime in ancient China. Block-printed sutra edition was divided into two systems. In each system, the Mahayanapitaka-sutra was differed among the catalogue to the canon from the Kaiyuan Catalogue of Buddhist Scriptures(开元释教录·入藏录)and the summary of the the Kaiyuan Catalogue(开元释教录略出)Within the former system,the Kaibao edition of Tripitaka,the Zhaocheng edition of Tripitaka and the Koryo edition of Tripitaka were modified based on the catalogue to the canon,such as the number of the thousand character text about the Mahayanapitaka-sutra in these three canons are allHuo(火),Di(帝),Niao(鸟)It is different from the Niao(鸟),Guan(官),Ren(人)in the catalogue to the canon,the sutras carved on Fangshan stone and the Khitan edition of Tripitaka. As a result, the Khitan edition of Tripitaka and the sutras carved on Fangshan stone similar to the catalogue to the canon.But from the content,the two are continued to use the revised version of the Kaibao edition of Tripitaka in Tianxi(天禧)as master copy.The significant impact of the later system had lasted for centuries.The Chongni, Pilu, Sixi, Qisha,Puning,the southern Yongle of first edition,the southern Yongle,the northern Yongle, Jiaxing,Long,even the Tianhai,Huangli are all similar to the summary of the the Kaiyuan Catalogue except format. And the number of the thousand character text about the Mahayanapitaka-sutra are allDi(帝),Niao(鸟),Guan(官)Modern times,letterpress-print of Tripitaka started in Suoke.Pinqie,Wanzi,Dazheng,Zhonghua all are used for the emendation and making a catalogue.These works are also in the Mahayanapitaka-sutra. The Mahayanapitaka-sutra involves twenty volumes. It is divided into twelve chapters. The first two chapters valued as preface,for the reason of the Karmapa. From the third chapter to the eleventh chapter,it explained the the way of the bodhisattva.The last chapter is about the chatur-samgraha-vastu and the buddha Jataka.It explained the bodhichitta,the chaturapramana, the six paramitas and the chatur-samgraha-vastu.The pratitya-samutpada dharma in this sutra has the tendency of ontology that the pratitya-samutpada was put up to the Tathagata and Tathagata nature.But eventually the pratitya-samutpada dharma returns to the activity of no self-nature,no function,no domination(无有自性,无有作用,无有主宰)Thus, naturally the way of the bodhisattva depend on the bodhichitta. Of course, the bodhichitta is within the context of the mental dharma nature. Relying on this,it reveals the chaturapramana, the six paramitas and the chatur-samgraha-vastu. Overall as the the way of the bodhisattva can be seen as the theory of Buddhist practice. At the same time, because the Bodhisattva’s practice is in the structure of self-other, self-other is not the explaination of timeliness,but a static structure. So, practice itself brings the clean fruit.And the theory of Buddhist practice is as same as Extrication.The vitality of this sutra is that it gives old materials and propositions that have been given a new interpretation of the expression.After they have been translated this sutra, particularly in Xuanzang’s disciples had a profound impact. This should be attributed to Xuanzang’s focus on this, at the same time, also originates from the Royal family’s highly appreciation. All in all, this has its special significance to Mahayana theory and understanding of the important classic Buddhist advocate of Xuanzang. In addition, the translation of the Mahayana bodhisattvas in the Song dynasty indirect proofs of the spread and demand value of this sutra.