The Śālistamba Sūtra (rice stalk or rice sapling sūtra) is an early Buddhist text that shows a few unique features which indicate a turn to the early Mahayana. It thus has been considered one of the first Mahayana sutras.[1] According to N. Ross Reat, the sutra could date as far back as 200 BCE.[2] It is possible that this sutra represents a period of Buddhist literature before the Mahayana had diverged significantly from the doctrine of the Early Buddhist schools.[3]
Three commentaries on the sutra traditionally attributed to Nagarjuna also survive in Tibetan (Peking nos. 5466, 5485, 5486).[4] There is also a commentary attributed to Kamalasila (eighth century).[5]
While the Śālistamba does not survive fully in Sanskrit, it is the most widely quoted sutra in Mahayana texts on the topic of pratityasamutpada and thus about 90 percent of the material survives as various quotations in other Buddhist Sanskrit works. Therefore, the Sanskrit has been reconstructed by modern scholars (beginning with the work of Louis de La Vallée-Poussin, 1913). Many passages in this sutra have close parallels in the Pali suttas (especially the Mahatanha-sahkhaya Sutta, M1:256-71).[6][7] The Salistamba also survives in six Chinese translations and in various Tibetan recensions, including some manuscripts from Dunhuang, and it is thus of great textual, historical and philological importance.[8][9]
The Śālistamba Sūtra shows that its proto-Mahayana transmitters (possibly the Mahāsāṃghikas) knew and accepted a theory of dependent origination which is almost identical with that of the Pali canon.[10] It also shows a intent to consolidate and systematize material that is found throughout the Pali Canon with a few new, albeit conservative innovations.[11] For example, it applies a simile of seed and plants to the doctrine of dependent origination, something which is not found in the Pali canon.[12] The core of the sutra is an "elaboration upon cause (hetu) in the subjective pratityasamutpada formula."[13]
Mahayana elements in the sutra include the fact that it is said to be given by the Bodhisattva Maitreya and that it ends stating that whoever understands dependent arising will become a perfectly enlightened Buddha. The sutra is also a work focusing on the attainment of the DharmakayaBuddha, stating "Whoever, monks, sees conditioned arising sees Dharma, and whoever sees Dharma sees the Buddha" (a combination of two well known statements in the Pali suttas).[14] The sutra also seems to move closer to the Mahayana view that reality is illusory, using the term maya and also similes using reflections, which would become widely used to illustrate illusioriness in the Mahayana sutras.[15]
N. Ross Reat notes that this indicates that the early Mahayana tendency was not "self-consciously schismatic" but was simply one of the many attempts to systematize and elaborate on the Buddha's teachings. While some schools chose to incorporate these systematizations into Abhidharma texts, the proto-Mahayana chose to incorporate them into sutras.[16]
Śālistamba[ka]mahāyanasūtraṭīkā attributed to a Nagarjuna
Śālistambakakārikā attributed to a Nagarjuna
Translations and editions
Reat, N. Ross. The Śālistamba sūtra : Tibetan original, Sanskrit reconstruction, English translation, critical notes (including Pali parallels, Chinese version, and ancient Tibetan fragments). Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1993.
Schoening, Jeffrey D. The Śālistamba Sūtra and Its Indian Commentaries
^Reat, N. Ross. The Śālistamba sūtra : Tibetan original, Sanskrit reconstruction, English translation, critical notes (including Pali parallels, Chinese version, and ancient Tibetan fragments). Delhi : Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1993, p. 1.
^Tatz, Mark. Reviewed work(s): The Śālistamba Sūtra and Its Indian Commentaries by Jeffrey D. Schoening in Journal of the American Oriental Society volume 118, 1998, page 546.
^Tatz, Mark. Reviewed work(s): The Śālistamba Sūtra and Its Indian Commentaries by Jeffrey D. Schoening in Journal of the American Oriental Society volume 118, 1998, page 546.
salistamba, sutra, Śālistamba, sūtra, rice, stalk, rice, sapling, sūtra, early, buddhist, text, that, shows, unique, features, which, indicate, turn, early, mahayana, thus, been, considered, first, mahayana, sutras, according, ross, reat, sutra, could, date, b. The Salistamba Sutra rice stalk or rice sapling sutra is an early Buddhist text that shows a few unique features which indicate a turn to the early Mahayana It thus has been considered one of the first Mahayana sutras 1 According to N Ross Reat the sutra could date as far back as 200 BCE 2 It is possible that this sutra represents a period of Buddhist literature before the Mahayana had diverged significantly from the doctrine of the Early Buddhist schools 3 Three commentaries on the sutra traditionally attributed to Nagarjuna also survive in Tibetan Peking nos 5466 5485 5486 4 There is also a commentary attributed to Kamalasila eighth century 5 Contents 1 Overview 2 Translations and editions 3 See also 4 Notes 5 External linksOverview EditWhile the Salistamba does not survive fully in Sanskrit it is the most widely quoted sutra in Mahayana texts on the topic of pratityasamutpada and thus about 90 percent of the material survives as various quotations in other Buddhist Sanskrit works Therefore the Sanskrit has been reconstructed by modern scholars beginning with the work of Louis de La Vallee Poussin 1913 Many passages in this sutra have close parallels in the Pali suttas especially the Mahatanha sahkhaya Sutta M1 256 71 6 7 The Salistamba also survives in six Chinese translations and in various Tibetan recensions including some manuscripts from Dunhuang and it is thus of great textual historical and philological importance 8 9 The Salistamba Sutra shows that its proto Mahayana transmitters possibly the Mahasaṃghikas knew and accepted a theory of dependent origination which is almost identical with that of the Pali canon 10 It also shows a intent to consolidate and systematize material that is found throughout the Pali Canon with a few new albeit conservative innovations 11 For example it applies a simile of seed and plants to the doctrine of dependent origination something which is not found in the Pali canon 12 The core of the sutra is an elaboration upon cause hetu in the subjective pratityasamutpada formula 13 Mahayana elements in the sutra include the fact that it is said to be given by the Bodhisattva Maitreya and that it ends stating that whoever understands dependent arising will become a perfectly enlightened Buddha The sutra is also a work focusing on the attainment of the Dharmakaya Buddha stating Whoever monks sees conditioned arising sees Dharma and whoever sees Dharma sees the Buddha a combination of two well known statements in the Pali suttas 14 The sutra also seems to move closer to the Mahayana view that reality is illusory using the term maya and also similes using reflections which would become widely used to illustrate illusioriness in the Mahayana sutras 15 N Ross Reat notes that this indicates that the early Mahayana tendency was not self consciously schismatic but was simply one of the many attempts to systematize and elaborate on the Buddha s teachings While some schools chose to incorporate these systematizations into Abhidharma texts the proto Mahayana chose to incorporate them into sutras 16 There are three commentaries on the text Salistamba ka ṭika by Kamalashila Salistamba ka mahayanasutra ṭika attributed to a Nagarjuna Salistambakakarika attributed to a NagarjunaTranslations and editions EditReat N Ross The Salistamba sutra Tibetan original Sanskrit reconstruction English translation critical notes including Pali parallels Chinese version and ancient Tibetan fragments Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers 1993 Schoening Jeffrey D The Salistamba Sutra and Its Indian CommentariesSee also EditMahayana Sanskrit Buddhist literature Pre sectarian BuddhismNotes Edit Reat N Ross The Salistamba sutra Tibetan original Sanskrit reconstruction English translation critical notes including Pali parallels Chinese version and ancient Tibetan fragments Delhi Motilal Banarsidass Publishers 1993 p 1 Reat 1993 p 4 Potter Karl H Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A D page 32 Reat 1993 p 2 Tatz Mark Reviewed work s The Salistamba Sutra and Its Indian Commentaries by Jeffrey D Schoening in Journal of the American Oriental Society volume 118 1998 page 546 Reat 1993 p 3 Potter Karl H Abhidharma Buddhism to 150 A D page 32 Reat 1993 p 1 Tatz Mark Reviewed work s The Salistamba Sutra and Its Indian Commentaries by Jeffrey D Schoening in Journal of the American Oriental Society volume 118 1998 page 546 Reat 1993 p 2 Reat 1993 p 5 Reat 1993 p 6 Reat 1993 p 11 Reat 1993 p 3 Reat 1993 p 10 Reat 1993 p 9 External links EditXuanfa institute translation by N Ross Reat Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Salistamba Sutra amp oldid 1125766156, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
