Dàshèng wúliàngshòu jīng 大乘無量壽經
Mahāyāna Sūtra of Amitāyus / Aparimitāyuḥ-sūtra by 法成 Fǎchéng (Chos-grub, 譯)
About the work
A one-fascicle Mahāyāna Aparimitāyuḥ-sūtra (Sūtra of the Limitless-Life Buddha) translated from Tibetan by Fǎchéng 法成 / Chos-grub (法成) at Dūnhuáng during the period of Tibetan rule. The text is one of Fǎchéng’s principal Pure Land Buddhist translations, alongside his Yogācāra and Prajñāpāramitā work.
Abstract
The Aparimitāyuḥ-sūtra — distinct from the larger Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra (T360 / 364) — is a short Mahāyāna scripture on the cult of Amitāyus (Limitless-Life Buddha), focusing on the soteriological efficacy of merit-dedication for Sukhāvatī rebirth and on the recitation of the principal Amitāyus dhāraṇī. Fǎchéng’s translation from Tibetan parallels several Sanskrit-direct Chinese translations of related Amitāyus texts; his version reflects the Tibetan-canonical form of the sūtra.
The translation dates from Fǎchéng’s documented Dūnhuáng period (833–865).
Translations and research
- Ueyama Daishun 上山大峻. Tonkō bukkyō no kenkyū 燉煌仏教の研究. Kyoto: Hōzōkan, 1990. — On Fǎchéng’s translation programme.
- Inagaki Hisao. The Three Pure Land Sutras. Berkeley: Numata Center, 2003. — Background on the Amitāyus textual tradition.
Links
- CBETA T19n0936
- Kanseki DB
- 法成 Fǎchéng DILA
- Dazangthings date evidence (CBETA / Taishō; date: 830)