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佛說入無分別法門經

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Text ID
KR6i0292
Date
980–1017
Dynasty
宋

Fóshuō rù wúfēnbié fǎmén jīng 佛說入無分別法門經

Sūtra on Entering the Dharma-Gate of Non-Discrimination as Spoken by the Buddha translated by 施護 (Shīhù / Dānapāla, 譯)

About the work

T654 (one fascicle, alt. title 入無分別經; Sanskrit Avikalpapraveśadhāraṇī-sūtra) is a short Mahāyāna dhāraṇī and meditation text translated by 施護 (Shīhù / Dānapāla, d. 1017) at the Sòng Yìjīng yuàn. The “Dharma-gate of non-discrimination” (avikalpa-praveśa) is a meditative method for entering the realization that all dharmas share the single nature of śūnyatā; the text is closely related to the Yogācāra-influenced avikalpa-jñāna doctrine.

Abstract

施護 (Shīhù; Skt. Dānapāla; d. 1017) was an Indian translator from Uddiyāna 烏填曩 / Oḍḍiyāna who came to China in 980 with Fǎxián. He worked at the imperial Yìjīng yuàn established by Tàizōng in 982 and led one of its principal teams; the Fózǔ tǒngjì (T2035) records his career in detail. Date bracket follows his Bureau period (980–1017). The text reflects the Yogācāra orientation of the late-period Indian avikalpa literature: a brief sūtra-style frame around a dhāraṇī that, when recited and contemplated, induces the avikalpa-samādhi — the meditative state of non-conceptual awareness. T654 is one of the principal Chinese sources for this technical doctrine, parallel in content to the Tibetan Avikalpapraveśadhāraṇī.

Translations and research

  • D’Amato, Mario. “Avikalpapraveśadhāraṇī.” In Maitreya’s Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes (Madhyāntavibhāga) and Vasubandhu’s Commentary. New York: AIBS, 2012. — translation of the Tibetan version, with discussion of T654 as parallel.
  • Sen, Tansen. Buddhism, Diplomacy, and Trade. Honolulu: University of Hawai’i Press, 2003.

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