Text: T2887; Fumu en zhong jing 父母恩重經

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• T2887; Fumu en zhong jing 父母恩重經

Guang regards the 父母恩重經 T2887 as apocryphal (though he regards the 父母恩難報經 T684 as genuine). He notes that the first mention of the text is found in Mingquan's DZKZM (佛說父母恩重經一卷, T2153:55.474a15) in his list of apocrypha 偽經目錄. Zhisheng (KYL) concurred, and said that the text should be considered apocryphal because it mentions Chinese paragons of filial piety (父母恩重經一卷(經引丁蘭董黯郭巨等故知人造三紙), T2154:55.673a7). According to Guang, this judgement has been followed by almost all traditional and modern scholars. The version of the text found in the Taishō was edited upon the basis of British Library S.2048 and the Fusetsu Nakamura Collection manuscript S.190. Zongmi 宗密 (780-841) cites the text at length, and Guang compares his quotations with the extant text to show that they correspond quite closely; thus, Guang argues, the text must date before Zongmi.

Guang reprises studies by Ogawa, who identified sources of T2887 in the 大乘本生心地觀經 T159, the 淨土五會念佛略法事儀讚 T1983, and even the Shi jing 詩經. Guang, however, argues that T2887 is "not entirely a Chinese creation, but a revised and modified version of the authentic [T684] and later enlarged with many additions". He speculates about the motives for which the scripture might have been created, and identifies other sources in the 盂蘭盆經 T685, the Mahāparinirvāṇa-mahāsūtra 大般涅槃經 T374, and the *Antarābhava-sūtra 中陰經 T385. On this basis, he disputes Ogawa's claim that the text owes anything to the Shi jing. [Guang's foil here is Ogawa (1984).]

Entry author: Michael Radich

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• Title: Fumu en zhong jing 父母恩重經
• Identifier: T2887