Xiéjiàn jīng 邪見經

Sūtra on Wrong Views (parallel to Madhyama-āgama sūtra 220, the Jiàn jīng 見經) Anonymous (失譯), conventionally attached to the Eastern Jìn 東晉 catalogue

About the work

The Xiéjiàn jīng is a single-fascicle anonymous Chinese translation of a discourse on the variety of wrong views — the eternalism, annihilationism, and other speculative positions that the Buddha rejects. The Chinese parallel is T26[220] (the Jiàn jīng 見經 of the Madhyama-āgama).

The text opens at the Veṇuvana monastery in Rājagṛha (羅閱祇城迦蘭陀), with Ānanda answering questions on the Buddha’s silences regarding speculative metaphysical questions.

Prefaces

The text bears no preface or postface. The only paratext is the catalogue rubric printed at the head: 「失譯人名今附東晉錄」.

Abstract

The Eastern Jìn (317–420) ascription is a catalog-tradition assignment. The defensible bracket is recorded in the frontmatter. The Indic source is presumed lost.

Translations and research

  • Anālayo, Bhikkhu. A Comparative Study of the Majjhima-nikāya. Taipei: Dharma Drum, 2011.