Source: Chen 2016

Chen, Frederick Shih-Chung. “The Sutra on the Wisdom Stored in the Ocean of Buddha-nature.” In Buddhist Stone Sutras in China. Sichuan Province, Volume 3, Wofoyuan Section C, edited by Claudia Wenzel and Sun Hua 孫華, 101-106. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag/Hangzhou: China Academy of Art Press, 2016.

Assertions

Assertion	Argument	Place in source	Search
Texts: T2885; 佛性海藏智慧解脫破心相經	The 佛性海藏智慧解脫破心相經 T2885 is known only from Dunhuang and Wofoyuan in Sichuan. Chen studies the Wofoyuan version of the text. He argues, on the basis of its appearance in catalogues, that it dates to the late seventh century. The text begins with the scene of the Buddha's deathbed, between the twin śāla trees in Kuśinagara, and presents a series of rubrics comprising similes in sets that increase stepwise in number: the Three Poisonous Arrows, the Four Poisonous Serpents, the Five Dogs etc. It also incorporates the well-known Prabhūtaratna episode from the Lotus Sūtra. Chen argues that the compilers of the sūtra intended it as a kind of alternate version of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-mahāsūtra (with relations closest to the *Dharmakṣema version of the text, T374). Chen's argument is based in part on the similar mise-en-scène; also on the basis of some similarities in doctrinal content; and also on the fact that the similes in the above list appear in T374 (though with different content). "The sutra was probably formulated in an attempt to appeal to ordinary followers by presenting a rather short, and more intelligible version of the Great Parinirvāṇa Sutra, and by offering a straightforward method to follow the doctrine." Edit		The 佛性海藏智慧解脫破心相經 T2885 is known only from Dunhuang and Wofoyuan in Sichuan. Chen studies the Wofoyuan version of the text. He argues, on the basis of its appearance in catalogues, that it dates to the late seventh century. The text begins with the scene of the Buddha's deathbed, between the twin sala trees in Kusinagara, and presents a series of rubrics comprising similes in sets that increase stepwise in number: the Three Poisonous Arrows, the Four Poisonous Serpents, the Five Dogs etc. It also incorporates the well-known Prabhutaratna episode from the Lotus Sutra. Chen argues that the compilers of the sutra intended it as a kind of alternate version of the Mahaparinirvana-mahasutra (with relations closest to the *Dharmaksema version of the text, T374). Chen's argument is based in part on the similar mise-en-scene; also on the basis of some similarities in doctrinal content; and also on the fact that the similes in the above list appear in T374 (though with different content). "The sutra was probably formulated in an attempt to appeal to ordinary followers by presenting a rather short, and more intelligible version of the Great Parinirvana Sutra, and by offering a straightforward method to follow the doctrine." T2885; 佛性海藏智慧解脫破心相經

Assertion

Argument

Place in source

Texts: T2885; 佛性海藏智慧解脫破心相經

The 佛性海藏智慧解脫破心相經 T2885 is known only from Dunhuang and Wofoyuan in Sichuan. Chen studies the Wofoyuan version of the text. He argues, on the basis of its appearance in catalogues, that it dates to the late seventh century. The text begins with the scene of the Buddha's deathbed, between the twin śāla trees in Kuśinagara, and presents a series of rubrics comprising similes in sets that increase stepwise in number: the Three Poisonous Arrows, the Four Poisonous Serpents, the Five Dogs etc. It also incorporates the well-known Prabhūtaratna episode from the Lotus Sūtra.

Chen argues that the compilers of the sūtra intended it as a kind of alternate version of the Mahāparinirvāṇa-mahāsūtra (with relations closest to the *Dharmakṣema version of the text, T374). Chen's argument is based in part on the similar mise-en-scène; also on the basis of some similarities in doctrinal content; and also on the fact that the similes in the above list appear in T374 (though with different content). "The sutra was probably formulated in an attempt to appeal to ordinary followers by presenting a rather short, and more intelligible version of the Great Parinirvāṇa Sutra, and by offering a straightforward method to follow the doctrine."

Edit