Prajnaparamita

Translations of PrajñÄpÄramitÄ | |
---|---|
English |
Perfection of Transcendent Wisdom |
Sanskrit |
पà¥à¤°à¤œà¥à¤žà¤¾à¤ªà¤¾à¤°à¤®à¤¿à¤¤à¤¾ (IAST: PrajñÄpÄramitÄ) |
Burmese |
ပညာပါရမီဠ(IPA: [pjɪ̀ɴɲà pà ɹəmìta̰]) |
Chinese |
般若波羅蜜多 (pinyin: bÅrÄ› bÅluómìduÅ) |
Japanese |
般若波羅蜜多 (rÅmaji: hannya-haramitta) |
Korean |
반야바ë¼ë°€ë‹¤ (RR: Banyabaramilda) |
Mongolian | Төгөлдөр билгүүн |
Sinhala | ප්රඥ්ඥà·à·€ |
Tibetan |
་ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་à½à½´à¼‹à½•ྱིན་པ་ (shes rab kyi pha rol tu phyin pa) |
Thai | ปรัชà¸à¸²à¸›à¸²à¸£à¸¡à¸´à¸•า |
Vietnamese | Bát-nhã-ba-la-máºt-Ä‘a |
Glossary of Buddhism |

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PrajñÄpÄramitÄ means "the Perfection of (Transcendent) Wisdom" in MahÄyÄna Buddhism. PrajñÄpÄramitÄ refers to this perfected way of seeing the nature of reality, as well as to a particular body of sutras and to the personification of the concept in the Bodhisattva known as the "Great Mother" (Tibetan: Yum Chenmo). The word PrajñÄpÄramitÄ combines the Sanskrit words prajÃ±Ä "wisdom" with pÄramitÄ "perfection". PrajñÄpÄramitÄ is a central concept in MahÄyÄna Buddhism and is generally associated with the doctrine of emptiness (Shunyata) or 'lack of Svabhava' (essence) and the works of Nagarjuna. Its practice and understanding are taken to be indispensable elements of the Bodhisattva path.
According to Edward Conze the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ Sutras are "a collection of about forty texts...composed in India between approximately 100 BC and AD 600."[1] Some PrajñÄpÄramitÄ sÅ«tras are thought to be among the earliest MahÄyÄna sÅ«tras.[2][3]
One of the important features of the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ Sutras is anutpada (unborn, no origin).[4][5]
History
Earliest texts
Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ
Western scholars have traditionally considered the earliest sÅ«tra in the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ class to be the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra or "Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines", which was probably put in writing in the 1st century BCE.[6] This chronology is based on the views of Edward Conze, who largely considered dates of translation into other languages. The first translation of the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ into Chinese occurred in the 2nd century CE. This text also has a corresponding version in verse format, called the Ratnaguṇasaṃcaya GÄthÄ, which some believe to be slightly older because it is not written in standard literary Sanskrit. However, these findings rely on late-dating Indian texts, in which verses and mantras are often kept in more archaic forms.
Additionally, a number of scholars have proposed that the MahÄyÄna PrajñÄpÄramitÄ teachings were first developed by the Caitika subsect of the MahÄsÄṃghikas. They believe that the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra originated amongst the southern MahÄsÄṃghika schools of the Ä€ndhra region, along the Kṛṣṇa River.[7] These MahÄsÄṃghikas had two famous monasteries near AmarÄvati and the DhÄnyakataka, which gave their names to the PÅ«rvaÅ›aila and AparaÅ›aila schools.[8] Each of these schools had a copy of the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra in Prakrit.[8] Guang Xing also assesses the view of the Buddha given in the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra as being that of the MahÄsÄṃghikas.[8] Edward Conze estimates that this sÅ«tra originated around 100 BCE.[8]
In 2012, Harry Falk and Seishi Karashima published a damaged and partial Kharoá¹£á¹hÄ« manuscript of the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ.[9] It is radiocarbon dated to ca. 75 CE, making it one of the oldest Buddhist texts in existence. It is very similar to the first Chinese translation of the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ by Lokaká¹£ema (ca. 179 CE) whose source text is assumed to be in the GÄndhÄrÄ« language. Comparison with the standard Sanskrit text shows that it is also likely to be a translation from GÄndhÄri as it expands on many phrases and provides glosses for words that are not present in the GÄndhÄrÄ«. This points to the text being composed in GÄndhÄrÄ«, the language of Gandhara (the region now called the Northwest Frontier of Pakistan, including Peshawar, Taxila and Swat Valley). The "Split" ms. is evidently a copy of an earlier text, confirming that the text may date before the first century of the common era.
VajracchedikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ
In contrast to western scholarship, Japanese scholars have traditionally considered the Diamond SÅ«tra (VajracchedikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra) to be from a very early date in the development of PrajñÄpÄramitÄ literature.[10] The usual reason for this relative chronology which places the VajracchedikÄ earlier is not its date of translation, but rather a comparison of the contents and themes.[11] Some western scholars also believe that the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra was adapted from the earlier VajracchedikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra.[10]
Examining the language and phrases used in both the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ and the VajracchedikÄ, Gregory Schopen also sees the VajracchedikÄ as being earlier than the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ.[12] This view is taken in part by examining parallels between the two works, in which the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ seems to represent the later or more developed position.[12] According to Schopen, these works also show a shift in emphasis from an oral tradition (VajracchedikÄ) to a written tradition (Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ).[12]
Overview of the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ sÅ«tras
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An Indian commentary on the MahÄyÄnasaṃgraha, entitled Vivá¹›taguhyÄrthapiṇá¸avyÄkhyÄ, gives a classification of teachings according to the capabilities of the audience:
[A]ccording to disciples' grades, the Dharma is [classified as] inferior and superior. For example, the inferior was taught to the merchants Trapuá¹£a and Ballika because they were ordinary men; the middle was taught to the group of five because they were at the stage of saints; the eightfold PrajñÄpÄramitÄs were taught to bodhisattvas, and [the PrajñÄpÄramitÄs] are superior in eliminating conceptually imagined forms. The eightfold [PrajñÄpÄramitÄs] are the teachings of the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ as follows: the TriÅ›atikÄ, PañcaÅ›atikÄ, SaptaÅ›atikÄ, SÄrdhadvisÄhasrikÄ, Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ, Aá¹£á¹adaÅ›asÄhasrikÄ, PañcaviṃśatisÄhasrikÄ, and ÅšatasÄhasrikÄ.[13]
The titles of these eight PrajñÄpÄramitÄ texts are given according to their length. The texts may have other Sanskrit titles as well, or different variations which may be more descriptive. The lengths specified by the titles are given below.
- TriÅ›atikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 300 lines, alternatively known as the VajracchedikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra (Diamond SÅ«tra)
- PañcaÅ›atikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 500 lines
- SaptaÅ›atikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 700 lines, the bodhisattva MañjuÅ›rÄ«'s exposition of PrajñÄpÄramitÄ
- SÄrdhadvisÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 2500 lines, from the questions of SuvikrÄntavikrÄmin Bodhisattva
- Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 8000 lines
- Aá¹£á¹adaÅ›asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 18,000 lines
- PañcaviṃśatisÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 25,000 lines, alternatively known as the MahÄprajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra
- ÅšatasÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra: 100,000 lines, alternatively known as the MahÄprajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra
According to Joseph Walser, there is evidence that the PañcaviṃśatisÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra (25,000 lines) and the ÅšatasÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra (100,000 lines) have a connection with the Dharmaguptaka sect, while the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra (8000 lines) does not.[14]
In addition to these, there are also other PrajñÄpÄramitÄ sÅ«tras such as the Heart Sutra (PrajñÄpÄramitÄ Há¹›daya), which exists in a shorter and longer versions. Regarding the shorter texts, Edward Conze writes, "Two of these, the Diamond SÅ«tra and the Heart SÅ«tra are in a class by themselves and deservedly renowned throughout the world of Northern Buddhism. Both have been translated into many languages and have often been commented upon.".[15] Some scholars consider the Diamond Sutra to be much earlier than Conze does.[16] Scholar, Jan Nattier argues the Heart Sutra to be an apocryphal text composed in China from extracts of the PañcaviṃśatisÄhasrikÄ and other texts ca 7th century.[17] Red Pine, does not support Nattiers argument and believes the Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra to be of Indian origin.[18]
TÄntric versions of the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ literature were produced from the year 500 CE on and include sutras such as the AdhyardhaÅ›atikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ (150 lines). Additionally, PrajñÄpÄramitÄ terma teachings are held by some Tibetan Buddhists to have been conferred upon NÄgÄrjuna by the NÄgarÄja "King of the NÄgas", who had been guarding them at the bottom of the sea.
PrajñÄpÄramitÄ in Central Asia
By the middle of the 3rd century CE, it appears that some PrajñÄpÄramitÄ texts were known in Central Asia, as reported by the Chinese monk Zhu Shixing, who brought back a manuscript of the PrajñÄpÄramitÄ of 25,000 lines:[19]
When in 260 AD, the Chinese monk Zhu Shixing chose to go to Khotan in an attempt to find original Sanskrit sÅ«tras, he succeeded in locating the Sanskrit PrajñÄpÄramitÄ in 25,000 verses, and tried to send it to China. In Khotan, however, there were numerous HÄ«nayÄnists who attempted to prevent it because they regarded the text as heterodox. Eventually, Zhu Shixing stayed in Khotan, but sent the manuscript to Luoyang where it was translated by a Khotanese monk named Moká¹£ala. In 296, the Khotanese monk GÄ«tamitra came to Chang'an with another copy of the same text.
Xuanzang and the MahÄprajñÄpÄramitÄ
Xuanzang returned to China from India with three copies of the MahÄprajñÄpÄramitÄ SÅ«tra which he had secured from his extensive travels.[20] Xuanzang, with a team of disciple translators, commenced translating the voluminous work in 660 CE using the three versions to ensure the integrity of the source documentation.[20] Xuanzang was being encouraged by a number of the disciple translators to render an abridged version. After a suite of dreams quickened his decision, Xuanzang determined to render an unabridged, complete volume, faithful to the original of 600 fascicles.[21]
PrajñÄpÄramitÄ in visual art
The Prajnaparamita is often personified as a bodhisattvadevi (female bodhisattva). Artifacts from Nalanda depict the Prajnaparamita personified as a deity. The depiction of Prajnaparamita as a Yidam deity can also be found in ancient Java and Cambodian art.
PrajñÄpÄramitÄ in Ancient Indonesia
Mahayana Buddhism took root in ancient Java Sailendra court in the 8th century CE. The Mahayana reverence of female buddhist deity started with the cult of Tara enshrined in the 8th century Kalasan temple in Central Java. Some of Prajnaparamita's important functions and attributes can be traced to those of the goddess Tara. Tara and Prajnaparamita are both referred to as mothers of all Buddhas, since Buddhas are born from wisdom. The Sailendra dynasty was also the ruling family of Srivijaya in Sumatra. During the reign of the third Pala king Devapala (815-854) in India, Srivijaya Maharaja Balaputra of Sailendras also constructed one of Nalanda’s main monasteries in India itself. Thereafter manuscript editions of the Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita Sutra circulating in Sumatra and Java instigated the cult of the Goddess of Transcendent Wisdom.[22]
In the 13th century, the tantric buddhism gained royal patronage of king Kertanegara of Singhasari, and thereafter some of Prajnaparamita statues were produced in the region, such as the Prajnaparamita of Singhasari in East Java and Prajnaparamita of Muaro Jambi Regency, Sumatra. Both of East Java and Jambi Prajnaparamitas bear resemblance in style as they were produced in same period, however unfortunately Prajnaparamita of Jambi is headless and was discovered in poor condition.
The statue of Prajnaparamita of East Java is probably the most famous depiction of the goddess of transcendental wisdom, and is considered the masterpiece of classical ancient Java Hindu-Buddhist art in Indonesia. It was discovered in the Cungkup Putri ruins near Singhasari temple, Malang, East Java. Today the beautiful and serene statue is displayed on 2nd floor Gedung Arca, National Museum of Indonesia, Jakarta.
Selected English translations
Author | Title | Publisher | Notes | Year |
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Edward Conze | Selected Sayings from the Perfection of Wisdom ISBN 978-0877737094 | Buddhist Society, London | Portions of various Perfection of Wisdom sutras | 1978 |
Edward Conze | The Large Sutra on Perfect Wisdom ISBN 0-520-05321-4 | University of California | Mostly the version in 25,000 lines, with some parts from the versions in 100,000 and 18,000 lines | 1985 |
Edward Conze | Buddhist Wisdom Books ISBN 0-04-440259-7 | Unwin | The Heart Sutra and the Diamond Sutra with commentaries | 1988 |
Edward Conze | The Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines and its Verse Summary ISBN 81-7030-405-9 | Four Seasons Foundation | The earliest text in a combination of strict translation and summary | 1994 |
Edward Conze | Perfect Wisdom; The Short Prajnaparamita Texts ISBN 0-946672-28-8 | Buddhist Publishing Group, Totnes. (Luzac reprint) | Most of the short sutras: Perfection of Wisdom in 500 Lines, 700 lines, The Heart Sutra and The Diamond Sutra, one word, plus some Tantric sutras, all without commentaries. | 2003 |
Geshe Tashi Tsering | Emptiness: The Foundation of Buddhist Thought, ISBN 978-0-86171-511-4 | Wisdom Publications | A guide to the topic of emptiness from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective, with English translation of the Heart Sutra | 2009 |
Lex Hixon | Mother of the Buddhas: Meditation on the Prajnaparamita Sutra ISBN 0-8356-0689-9 | Quest | Selected verses from the Prajnaparamita in 8000 lines | 1993 |
R.C. Jamieson | The perfection of wisdom, ISBN 978-0-67088-934-1 | Penguin Viking | Foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama; illustrated with Cambridge University Library Manuscript Add.1464 & Manuscript Add.1643 | - |
Richard H. Jones | The Heart of Buddhist Wisdom: Plain English Translations of the Heart Sutra, the Diamond-Cutter Sutra, and other Perfection of Wisdom Texts, ISBN 978-1478389576 | Jackson Square Books | Clear translations and summaries of the most important texts with essays | 2012 |
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso | Heart of Wisdom ISBN 0-948006-77-3 | Tharpa | The Heart Sutra with a Tibetan commentary | 2001 |
Lopez, Donald S. | Elaborations on Emptiness ISBN 0-691-00188-X | Princeton | The Heart Sutra with eight complete Indian and Tibetan commentaries | 1998 |
Lopez, Donald S. | The Heart Sutra Explained ISBN 0-88706-590-2 | SUNY | The Heart Sutra with a summary of Indian commentaries | 1987 |
Rabten, Geshe | Echoes of Voidness ISBN 0-86171-010-X | Wisdom | Includes the Heart Sutra with Tibetan commentary | 1983 |
Thich Nhat Hanh | The Heart of Understanding ISBN 0-938077-11-2 | Parallax Press | The Heart Sutra with a Vietnamese Thiá»n commentary | 1988 |
Thich Nhat Hanh | The Diamond that Cuts Through Illusion ISBN 0-938077-51-1 | Parallax Press | The Diamond Sutra with a Vietnamese Thiá»n commentary | 1992 |
Red Pine | The Diamond Sutra: The Perfection of Wisdom; Text and Commentaries Translated from Sanskrit and Chinese ISBN 1-58243-256-2 | Counterpoint | The Diamond Sutra with Chán/Zen commentary | 2001 |
Red Pine | The Heart Sutra: the Womb of Buddhas ISBN 978-1593760090 | Counterpoint | Heart Sutra with commentary | 2004 |
14th Dalai Lama | Essence of the Heart Sutra, ISBN 978-0-86171-284-7 | Wisdom Publications | Heart Sutra with commentary by the 14th Dalai Lama | 2005 |
Doosun Yoo | Thunderous Silence: A Formula For Ending Suffering: A Practical Guide to the Heart Sutra, ISBN 978-1614290537 | Wisdom Publications | English translation of the Heart Sutra with Korean Seon commentary | 2013 |
Kazuaki Tanahashi | The Heart Sutra: A Comprehensive Guide to the Classic of Mahayana Buddhism, ISBN 978-1611800968 | Shambhala Publications | English translation of the Heart Sutra with history and commentary | 2015 |
References
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- ↑ Conze, E. Perfect Wisdom: The Short Prajnaparamita Texts, Buddhist Publishing Group, 1993
- ↑ Williams, Paul. Buddhist Thought. Routledge, 2000, pages 131.
- ↑ Williams, Paul. Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations 2nd edition. Routledge, 2009, pg. 47.
- ↑ Buswell, Robert; Lopez, Donald S. Jr., eds. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University Press pg. 945 "In the PRAJÑĀPÄ€RAMITÄ€ literature and the MADHYAMAKA school, the notion of production comes under specific criticism (see VAJRAKAṆĀ), with NÄ€GÄ€RJUNA famously asking, e.g., how an effect can be produced from a cause that is either the same as or different from itself. The prajñÄpÄramitÄ sÅ«tras thus famously declare that all dharmas are actually ANUTPÄ€DA, or “unproduced.â€"
- ↑ King, Richard (1995), Early Advaita VedÄnta and Buddhism: The MahÄyÄna Context of the Gauá¸apÄdÄ«ya-kÄrikÄ, SUNY Press pg.113 "It is equally apparent that one of the important features of the Prajnaparamita positition is that of the nonarising (anutpada) of dharmas."
- ↑ Mäll, Linnart. Studies in the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄpÄramitÄ and other essays. 2005. p. 96
- ↑ Guang Xing. The Concept of the Buddha: Its Evolution from Early Buddhism to the Trikaya Theory. 2004. pp. 65-66 "Several scholars have suggested that the Prajnaparamita probably developed among the Mahasamghikas in Southern India, in the Andhra country, on the Krsna River."
- 1 2 3 4 Guang Xing. The Concept of the Buddha: Its Evolution from Early Buddhism to the Trikaya Theory. 2004. p. 66
- ↑ Harry Falk and Seishi Karashima, A ï¬rstâ€century PrajñÄpÄramitÄ manuscript from GandhÄra — parivarta 1 (Texts from the Split Collection 1). Annual Report of the International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology at Soka University XV (2012), 19-61.
- 1 2 Williams, Paul. MahÄyÄna Buddhism: the Doctrinal Foundations. London, UK: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-02537-0. p.42
- ↑ Schopen, Gregory. Figments and Fragments of MahÄyÄna Buddhism in India. 2005. p. 55
- 1 2 3 Schopen, Gregory. Figments and Fragments of MahÄyÄna Buddhism in India. 2005. pp. 31-32
- ↑ Hamar, Imre. Reflecting Mirrors: Perspectives on Huayan Buddhism. 2007. p. 94
- ↑ Williams, Paul. MahÄyÄna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations. 2008. p. 6
- ↑ Conze, Edward. The Short PrajñÄpÄramitÄ Texts. 1973. p. 9
- ↑ Williams, Paul. MahÄyÄna Buddhism: the Doctrinal Foundations. London, UK: Routledge. p. 42.
- ↑ Jan Nattier. 1992. The Heart Sūtra : a Chinese apocryphal text? Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. Vol. 15 (2), p.153-223.
- ↑ "The Heart Sutra Translation and Commentary", 2004. p.22-24
- ↑ Heirman, Ann. Bumbacher, Stephan Peter. The Spread of Buddhism. 2007. p. 100
- 1 2 Wriggins, Sally Hovey (2004). The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang. Boulder, Colorado: WestviewPress. ISBN 0-8133-6599-6. p.206
- ↑ Wriggins, Sally Hovey (2004). The Silk Road Journey with Xuanzang. Boulder, Colorado: WestviewPress. ISBN 0-8133-6599-6. p.207
- ↑ Asian Art Archived March 12, 2012, at the Wayback Machine.
Literature
- Karashima, Seishi (2010). A Glossary of Lokaká¹£ema's translation of the Aá¹£á¹asÄhasrikÄ PrajñÄprÌ„amitÄ (PDF). Bibliotheca philologica et philosophica Buddhica. Vol XI. The International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology, Soka Univ. ISBN 978-4-904234-03-7.
- Müller, F. Max, trans (1894). Buddhist Mahâyâna texts Vol.2, Oxford, Clarendon Press. (The Vagrakkedikâ, the larger Pragñâ-pâramitâ-hridaya-sûtra, the smaller Pragñâ-pâramitâ-hridaya-sûtra)
- Orsborn, M.B. (2012). Chiasmus in the Early PrajñÄpÄramitÄ: Literary Parallelism Connecting Criticism & Hermeneutics in an Early MahÄyÄna SÅ«tra (PDF) (PhD Dissertation). alias 釋慧峰 Shi Huifeng. University of Hong Kong. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- Qing, Fa (2001). The development of Prajna in Buddhism from early Buddhism to the Prajnaparamita system: With special reference to the Sarvastivada tradition (PDF) (PhD Dissertation). Advisor: Kawamura, Leslie S. University of Calgary. ISBN 0612648362. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prajnaparamita. |
- MahÄprajñÄpÄramitÄ MañjuÅ›rÄ«parivarta SÅ«tra: English Translation, Lapis Lazuli Texts
- The Prajnaparamita Literature Bibliography of the Prajnaparamita Literature
- Lotsawa House Translations of several Tibetan texts on the Prajnaparamita