Fǎguān jīng 法觀經

Sūtra on the Contemplation of Dharmas translated by 竺法護 (Zhú Fǎhù / Dharmarakṣa, 譯)

About the work

The Fǎguān jīng (T611) is a one-fascicle short meditation sūtra translated by Dharmarakṣa 竺法護 (竺法護). It presents a brief treatment of the dharma-anupaśyanā — the fourth of the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna / smṛtyupasthāna).

Prefaces

The text opens with the canonical formula.

Abstract

A miniature contemplation-sūtra on the dharma-anupaśyanā foundation, datable to Dharmarakṣa’s translation activity (266–308 CE). The text supplements his fuller meditation translations KR6i0243 Xiūxíng dàodì jīng (T606) and KR6i0249 Shēnguān jīng 身觀經 (T612).

Translations and research

  • Boucher, Daniel. “Dharmarakṣa and the Transmission of Buddhism to China.” Asia Major 19 (2006): 13–37.
  • Gethin, Rupert. The Buddhist Path to Awakening. Oxford, 2001 — satipaṭṭhāna analysis.