Source: Xiong 2014

Xiong Juan 熊娟. "Yulanpen de yuyuan yuyi kaocha: jian ji Yulanpen jing de xingzhi" 盂蘭盆”的語源語義考查——兼及《盂蘭盆經》的性質. Hanyu shi xuebao 漢語史學報 (2014): 1:85–104.

Assertions

Assertion Argument Place in source Search

1. Xiong argues that the Yulanpen jing 盂蘭盆經 T685 is an apocryphal text, on the basis of two terms that are typical of traditional Chinese thought and could not have occurred in translations from Indic:

(1) 三公: ancient titles of high officials. The term otherwise only occurs in Buddhist texts composed in China.

(2) 歡喜日, 自恣日: No Buddhist text composed in India mentions the designation of July 15th as a 歡喜日 or 自恣日. The only two occurrences of these terms in translated texts, 大智度論 T1509 and 根本說一切有部毘奈耶破僧事 T1450, associate Ānanda's birthday with the day of Buddha's awakening 得道, which, according to the tradition, is Feb. 8th, Apr. 8th, Mar. 8th, Mar. 15th, or Dec. 8th not including July 15th.

2. Xiong also argues that T685 was produced after the Eastern Jin and the Yao Qin (東晉姚秦), based on a set of terms that only occur after this period:

(1) 耶魔/邪魔: [NOTE: in T, T685 actually features 邪: 邪魔、外道、道士、四天王神; but Xiong transcribes 耶 --- MR.] The only two occurrences of 耶魔/邪魔 before the Yao Qin are in the Pusa yingluo benyi jing 菩薩瓔珞本業經 T1485, and the Pusa nei jie jing 菩薩內戒經 T1487. The authenticity of both has been disputed. T1485 is an apocryphon (Lü Cheng 呂瀓 1980:91; Lan Jifu 藍吉富 1997:278; Mochiyuki Shink Mochiyuki Shinkō 望月信亨 1946:471-484); and T1487 was falsely attributed to Guṇavarman求那跋摩 (Lü Cheng 呂瀓 1980:60). All the other occurrences of 耶魔 postdate Northern and Southern Dynasties 南北朝 and the Sui 隋.

(2) 自恣日, 自恣僧: Both phrases occur only after Eastern Jin. This also fits the historical context: the varṣa 夏安居 (rains retreat) was first practised from the time of the Yao Qin, and the ritual of 自恣 took place at the end of the varṣa.

(3) 四道果: All occurrences are after the Yao Qin.

(4) 年年: The earliest occurrence is in Zhang Hua's 張華 Bowuzhi 博物志 during the W. Jin 西晉, but it is possible that the 博物志 that we know is a compilation with additions by a later hand. All the other occurrences are after the Yao Qin.

(5) 盆器: In Buddhist texts, 盆器 occurs only after the Eastern Jin. 盆器 occurs in non-Buddhist texts only from the Tang 唐 onwards.

(6) 床敷: The earliest occurrence of 床敷 (臥具) is in Dharmarakṣa's Daśabhūmika 漸備一切智德經 T285, but there the reading is not secure. MSS also read 床臥具 or 床臥坐具. All the other occurrences are after the Eastern Jin.

Edit

 1. Xiong argues that the Yulanpen jing 盂蘭盆經 T685 is an apocryphal text, on the basis of two terms that are typical of traditional Chinese thought and could not have occurred in translations from Indic: (1) 三公: ancient titles of high officials. The term otherwise only occurs in Buddhist texts composed in China. (2) 歡喜日, 自恣日: No Buddhist text composed in India mentions the designation of July 15th as a 歡喜日 or 自恣日. The only two occurrences of these terms in translated texts, 大智度論 T1509 and 根本說一切有部毘奈耶破僧事 T1450, associate Ananda's birthday with the day of Buddha's awakening 得道, which, according to the tradition, is Feb. 8th, Apr. 8th, Mar. 8th, Mar. 15th, or Dec. 8th not including July 15th. 2. Xiong also argues that T685 was produced after the Eastern Jin and the Yao Qin (東晉姚秦), based on a set of terms that only occur after this period: (1) 耶魔/邪魔: [NOTE: in T, T685 actually features 邪: 邪魔、外道、道士、四天王神; but Xiong transcribes 耶 --- MR.] The only two occurrences of 耶魔/邪魔 before the Yao Qin are in the Pusa yingluo benyi jing 菩薩瓔珞本業經 T1485, and the Pusa nei jie jing 菩薩內戒經 T1487. The authenticity of both has been disputed. T1485 is an apocryphon (Lu Cheng 呂瀓 1980:91; Lan Jifu 藍吉富 1997:278; Mochiyuki Shink Mochiyuki Shinko 望月信亨 1946:471-484); and T1487 was falsely attributed to Gunavarman求那跋摩 (Lu Cheng 呂瀓 1980:60). All the other occurrences of 耶魔 postdate Northern and Southern Dynasties 南北朝 and the Sui 隋. (2) 自恣日, 自恣僧: Both phrases occur only after Eastern Jin. This also fits the historical context: the varsa 夏安居 (rains retreat) was first practised from the time of the Yao Qin, and the ritual of 自恣 took place at the end of the varsa. (3) 四道果: All occurrences are after the Yao Qin. (4) 年年: The earliest occurrence is in Zhang Hua's 張華 Bowuzhi 博物志 during the W. Jin 西晉, but it is possible that the 博物志 that we know is a compilation with additions by a later hand. All the other occurrences are after the Yao Qin. (5) 盆器: In Buddhist texts, 盆器 occurs only after the Eastern Jin. 盆器 occurs in non-Buddhist texts only from the Tang 唐 onwards. (6) 床敷: The earliest occurrence of 床敷 (臥具) is in Dharmaraksa's Dasabhumika 漸備一切智德經 T285, but there the reading is not secure. MSS also read 床臥具 or 床臥坐具. All the other occurrences are after the Eastern Jin. Anonymous (China), 失譯, 闕譯, 未詳撰者, 未詳作者, 不載譯人 T0685; 佛說盂蘭盆經