Fóshuō Lóngshī nǚ jīng 佛說龍施女經

Sūtra of the Nāga-Donor Maiden translated by 支謙 (Zhī Qiān, 譯)

About the work

The Fóshuō Lóngshī nǚ jīng (T557) is a one-fascicle Mahāyāna sūtra by Zhī Qiān 支謙 (支謙). The protagonist Lóngshī 龍施 (“Nāga-Donor”; Sanskrit Nāgadattā) is a young nāga-girl who exemplifies female bodhisattva-realization. Cf. KR6i0190 (T558, Lóngshī púsà běn qǐ jīng) translated by Dharmarakṣa.

Prefaces

The text opens with the canonical formula.

Abstract

This is one of the “wise women” / female bodhisattva texts, doctrinally close to the Nāga-girl narrative in the Lotus Sūtra. Translation dated to Zhī Qiān’s Wú productive period (222–252 CE).

Translations and research

  • Paul, Diana Y. Women in Buddhism. Berkeley, 1979.