Wúgòu yōupóyí wèn jīng 無垢優婆夷問經

Sūtra of the Stainless Upāsikā’s Questions translated by 瞿曇般若流支 (Qútán Bōrěliúzhī / Gautama Prajñāruci, 譯)

About the work

The Wúgòu yōupóyí wèn jīng (T578) is a one-fascicle Mahāyāna sūtra translated by Gautama Prajñāruci 瞿曇般若流支 (瞿曇般若流支) under the Eastern Wèi 東魏 (catalog 後魏). The protagonist Wúgòu yōupóyí 無垢優婆夷 is a “Stainless Upāsikā” (*Vimalā), a laywoman who poses doctrinal questions to the Buddha.

Prefaces

The text opens with the canonical formula.

Abstract

A short Mahāyāna question-and-answer sūtra in the wise-women cluster, datable to Gautama Prajñāruci’s translation activity at Yè 鄴 (the Eastern Wèi capital) ca. 538–543 CE. The translator is to be distinguished from his contemporary 般若流支 Prajñāruci with whom catalogs occasionally confuse him.

Translations and research

  • Paul, Diana Y. Women in Buddhism. Berkeley, 1979.
  • No further substantial secondary literature located.