Cǎihuā wéi wáng shàngfó shòujué hào miàohuā jīng 採花違王上佛授決號妙花經
Sūtra of the Flower-Picker Who Disobeyed the King and Offered Flowers to the Buddha, Receiving the Prediction of Buddhahood with the Title “Wonderful Flower” translated by 竺曇無蘭 Zhú Tánwúlán / Dharmaratna (譯)
About the work
This one-fascicle short sūtra (T510) by 竺曇無蘭 Zhú Tánwúlán narrates an unusual vyākaraṇa story: a flower-picker disobeys his royal employer in order to offer flowers to the Buddha and consequently receives the prediction of attaining buddhahood with the future title Miàohuā 妙花 (“Wonderful Flower”). The text presents the Mahāyāna principle that direct devotion to the Buddha overrides feudal-political duty.
Prefaces
The text opens with the canonical formula.
Abstract
A short Mahāyāna devotional narrative on the supremacy of Buddha-veneration over secular duty. Translation dated to Tánwúlán’s Eastern Jìn period (381–395 CE).
Translations and research
- No substantial secondary literature located.