Bǐmósù jīng 鞞摩肅經
Sūtra of the Wandering Ascetic Vekhanassa (the Vekhanassa-sūtra; parallel to Madhyama-āgama sūtra 209, the Bǐmónuó xiū jīng 鞞摩那修經) by 求那跋陀羅 (Guṇabhadra, 譯)
About the work
The Bǐmósù jīng is a single-fascicle LiúSòng 劉宋 translation of the Vekhanassa-sūtra, the discourse in which the Buddha refutes the brahmanical wandering ascetic Vekhanassa 鞞摩肅 (with the gloss “his clan-name”) on the topic of the supreme good and the supreme colour. The Pāli parallel is MN 80 Vekhanassa-sutta; the Chinese parallel is T26[209].
The text opens at the Jetavana monastery in Śrāvasti, with Vekhanassa approaching the Buddha after his noon meal.
Prefaces
The text bears no preface or postface. The only paratext is the LiúSòng translator’s signature at the head: 「宋天竺三藏求那跋陀羅譯」 (cf. KR6a0079).
Abstract
T90 was produced during Guṇabhadra’s Liú-Sòng career (435–468 CE), recorded in the frontmatter. The Indic source is presumed lost.
Translations and research
- Ñāṇamoli and Bodhi, tr. The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1995. — MN 80 with notes.
Links
- CBETA online text
- Guṇabhadra DILA
- Kanseki DB
- Dazangthings date evidence (390, 440): Mizuno Kōgen 水野弘元, “Chū agon kyō kaidai 中阿含経解題,” in Kokuyaku issaikyō 国訳一切経, Agon bu 阿含部 6, revised edition (1969): 403–411 — dazangthings.nz