長阿含経/長阿含經 (Jō-a-gon-gyō)

Translated by Buddhayaśas 佛陀耶舎 and Zhu-fo-nien 竺佛念 (Jpn.: Jiku Butsunen)
(Taishō No. 1)
Ch.: Chang-a-han-jing
Skt.: Dīrghāgama
Eng. The Canonical Book Of The Buddha’s Lengthy Discourses Volume Ⅰ
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 49 “THE CANONICAL BOOK OF THE BUDDHA’S LENGTHY DISCOURSES Volume Ⅰ”)
This is one of the oldest Buddhist scriptures, and contains a large number of teachings considered to have been expounded by Śākyamuni himself. Owing to the fact that it contains the comparatively longer sūtras among the old scriptures, it is known as Jō-a-gon-gyō, i.e. “The Longer Āgama Sūtra.”
In addition to this Jō-a-gon-gyō, the Chinese Buddhist Canon contains the Chū-a-gon-gyō (No.2), Zō-ichi-a-gon-gyō (Ch.: Zeng-yi-a-han-jing; Skt.: Ekottarikāgama; Taishō No.125) and Zō-a-gon-gyō (Ch.: Za-a-han-jing; Skt.: Saṃyuktāgama; Taishō No.99), and these four are known collectively as the “Four Āgamas.” On the other hand, the Pāli scriptures which have been transmitted in countries of the Theravāda tradition are divided into five groups, i.e. Dīgha-nikāya, Majjhima-nikāya, Saṃyutta-nikāya, Aṅguttara-nikāya and Khuddaka-nikāya.
The 22 fascicles of the Jō-a-gon-gyō contain 30 sūtras, which on the basis of their contents can be divided into four parts. The first part contains 4 sūtras (Fascicles 1-5), which deal with the exploits of the Buddha, beginning with the Seven Buddhas of the Past. The second part contains 15 sūtras (Fascicles 6-12), dealing with Buddhist practice and matters of doctrine. The third part contains 10 sutras (Fascicles 13-17), which present and criticize various teachings found in the non-Buddhist philosophies and religions prevalent at the time and known collectively as the ‘Sixty-two Views.’ The fourth and last part differs completely from the previous three parts and contains only one sūtra (Fascicles 18-22), called the Sei-ki-kyō (Ch.: Shi-ji-jing), which describes in detail the origins and conditions of the various worlds, including the world of men, through which people transmigrate during the cycle of birth and death.

中阿含経/中阿含經 (Chū-a-gon-gyō)

Translated by Gautama Saṃghadeva 瞿曇僧伽提婆
(Taishō No.26)
Ch.: Zhong-a-han-jing
Skt.: Madhyamāgama
Eng. The Madhyama Āgama Volume Ⅰ
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 45 “THE MADHYAMA ĀGAMA Volume Ⅰ”)
This is one of the earliest Buddhist scriptures, corresponding to the Pāli Majjhima-nikāya of the Theravāda tradition, and consisting of 222 sūtras in the Chinese version. Since the sūtras are of medium length, the whole is known as Chū-a-gon-gyō, i.e. “The Medium Āgama Sūtra.” But although the 152 sūtras contained in the Pāli recension are in fact almost all of medium length, the Chinese version contains sūtras of various lengths, ranging from extremely short ones to rather long ones.
The contents are very varied, dealing with among other subjects the words and deeds of Śākyamuni and his disciples, the basic doctrinal tenets of early Buddhism such as the Four Truths and the Twelve-Linked Chain of Dependent Origination, and also various allegories. The whole is divided into 18 groups of sūtras, known as 18 pin or ‘chapters.’
The Chinese Buddhist Canon contains in addition to this Chū-a-gon-gyō, the Jō-a-gon-gyō (No.1), Zō-ichi-a-gon-gyō (Ch.: Zeng-yi-a-han-jing; Skt.: Ekottarāgama; Taishō No.125) and Zō-a-gon-gyō (Ch.: Za-a-han-jing; Skt.: Saṃyuktāgama; Taishō No. 99), known collectively as the “Four Āgamas.” On the other hand, the Pāli scriptures contain apart from the Majjhima-nikāya, the Dīgha-nikāya, Saṃyutta-nikāya, Aṅguttara-nikāya and Khuddaka-nikāya, making in all five groups of sūtras. The Four Āgamas of the Chinese version and the Nikāyas of the Pāli tradition do not necessarily coincide in contents and there are in fact considerable discrepancies between the two.

大乗本生心地観経/大乘本生心地觀經 (Dai-jō-hon-jō-shin-ji-kan-gyō)

Translated by Prajñā 般若
(Taishō No. 159)
Ch.: Da-cheng-ben-sheng-xin-di-guan-jing
This sūtra, also known by its abbreviated title of Hon-jō-shin-ji-kan-gyō or Shin-ji-kan-gyō, deals mainly with how to practice the Buddhist way and attain enlightenment.
For this purpose it is stated that one must renounce the world, becoming a monk, and sitting in a quiet place, one should extinguish the flames of all passions from within one’s heart, this latter being the ultimate source of all things. Xin-di or ‘heart-ground’ is a metaphorical term comparing man’s heart, which is the source of all states of purity and impurity, to the earth, which gives birth to all living creatures.
This sūtra consists in all of 13 chapters, describing in the main the practice and discipline of the monk. However, Chapter 2, called ‘Chapter on Requital of Moral Obligations,’ discusses obligations to one’s parents, one’s fellow sentient beings, the king and the Three Treasures (Buddha, Dharma, and Saṃgha), and for this reason this sūtra has frequently been made use of in Japan.

仏所行讃/佛所行讃 (Bus-sho-gyō-san)

Translated by Tan-wu-chen 曇無讖 (Jpn.: Donmusen)
(Taishō No.192)
Ch.: Fo-suo-xing-zan
Skt.: Buddhacarita
Eng.: Buddhacarita in Praise of Buddha’s Acts
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 41 “BUDDHACARITA IN PRAISE OF BUDDHA’S ACTS”)
This work is a biography of Śākyamuni written by Aśvaghoṣa, the great Buddhist poet of the first century A.D. (v. No. 93). Whereas the extant Sanskrit text begins with Śākyamuni’s birth and, describing his youth and mental anguishes, ends with his defeat of māra, the Chinese version deals with the rest of his life as well, thus forming a complete biography. This latter half is not, however, an addition which was appended to the text in China, but has simply been lost from the original Sanskrit.
This biography is a representative work of Buddhist literature, but the Chinese version, although it has been translated in a poetic style, is not necessarily a success as a literary work.

雑宝蔵経/雜寶藏經 (Zō-hō-zō-kyō)

Translated by Kiṃkārya 吉迦夜 and Tan-yao 曇曜 (Jpn.: Donyō)
(Taishō No. 203)
Ch.: Za-bao-cang-jing
Eng.: The Storehouse of Sundry Valuables
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 6 “THE STOREHOUSE OF SUNDRY VALUABLES”)
This sūtra is a collection of in all 121 stories covering a time-span starting from the time of Śākyamuni and his disciples and ending with King Kaniṣka of the second century A.D. Among the stories included, that relating how the monk Nāgasena caused King Milinda to embrace the Buddhist faith (Fascicle 9), and that describing King Kaniṣka’s intimate relationship with Aśvaghoṣa (Fascicle 7) are especially famous. There are in addition to these a large number of other tales also thought to be based on historical facts, but from internal evidence, such as for example the appearance of King Kaniṣka, it is clear that this work was compiled after the second century A.D.

法句譬喩経/法句譬喩經 (Hok-ku-hi-yu-kyō)

Translated by Fa-ju 法炬 (Jpn.: Hōko) and Fa-li 法立 (Jpn.: Hōryū)
(Taishō No. 211)
Ch.: Fa-ju-pi-yu-jing
Eng.: The Scriptural Text: Verses of the Doctrine, with Parables
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 17 “THE SCRIPTURAL TEXT: VERSES OF THE DOCTRINE, WITH PARABLES”)
This sūtra is based upon the Chinese translation of the Dhammapada, of which approximately two thirds of the verses have been selected for commentary. At the start of each chapter a number of verses are quoted, followed by tales relating the events surrounding the origin of each verse.
The Pāli version of the Dhammapada contains in all 423 verses, and there are in addition a number of commentaries (aṭṭhakathā) recording the tales and fables surrounding each verse. In the case of the Chinese version, 250 verses have been added to the original 500 verses, making a total of 750 verses, two thirds of which are dealt with in the present work.

小品般若波羅蜜経/小品般若波羅蜜經 (Shō-bon-han-nya-ha-ra-mitsu-kyō)

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 227)
Ch.: Xiao-pin-ban-ruo-bo-luo-mi-jing
Skt.: Aṣṭasāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra
This sūtra belongs to the group of sūtras known as the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, and is known as the “Smaller Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra” in contrast to the so-called “Larger Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra” (Skt.: Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra) of 27 fascicles, also translated by Kumārajīva.
Due to the overshadowing influence of the Mahāprajñā-pāramitā-sūtra of 600 fascicles translated by Xuan-zhuang (Jpn.: Genjō) and the above-mentioned “Larger Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra,” research on this sūtra has been largely neglected, despite the fact that it is marked by an unadulterated presentation of the concept of ‘emptiness’ (Skt.: śūnyatā), the main theme of the Prajñāpāramitā literature.
Its contents coincide with part of the Mahā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, and there are in fact a number of other Chinese translations of this work, including the Dō-gyō-han-nya-kyō (Ch.: Dao-xing-ban-ruo-jing; Taishō No. 224), Dai-myō-do-kyō (Ch.: Da-ming-du-jing; Taishō No. 225), Ma-ka-han-nya-shō-kyō (Ch.: Ma-he-ban-ruo-chao-jing; Taishō No. 226) and Butsu-mo-shus-shō-san-hō-zō-han-nya-ha-ra-mit-ta-kyō (Ch.: Fo-mu-chu-sheng-san-fa-tsang-ban-ruo-bo-luo-mi-duo-jing; Taishō No. 228).

金剛般若波羅蜜経/金剛般若波羅蜜經 (Kon-gō-han-nya-ha-ra-mitsu-kyō)

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 235)
Ch.: Jin-gang-ban-ruo-bo-luo-mi-jing
Skt.: Vajracchedikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra
Next to the “Heart Sūtra” (No. 11), this is the most widely read sūtra of the Parjñāpāramitā literature, and has been especially highly valued among Chan sects.
This sūtra, known also by its abbreviated title of Kon-gō-kyō or “Diamond Sūtra,” deals in detail with the concept that everything existing in this world has without exception no substance and thus no ‘self.’ It has been often explained that the word jin-gang (Skt.: vajra) appearing in the title, which can either mean ‘diamond’ or refer to a particular type of weapon, is a figurative reference to anything solid and durable, and is therefore used in the meaning of ‘supreme’ or ‘victorious.’ It should be added that ban-ruo-bo-luo-mi (Skt.: prajñāpāramitā) refers to the perfect wisdom of a buddha.

大楽金剛不空真実三麼耶経/大樂金剛不空眞實三麼耶經 (Dai-raku-kon-gō-fu-kū-shin-jitsu-san-ma-ya-kyō)

Translated by Amoghavajra 不空
(Taishō No. 243)
Ch.: Da-luo-jin-gang-bu-kong-zhen-shi-san-mo-ye-jing
Skt.: Adhyardhaśatikā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra
Eng. The Sutra of the Vow of Fulfilling the Great Perpetual Enjoyment and Benefiting All Sentient Beings Without Exception
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 48 “ESOTERIC TEXTS”)
This sūtra is generally known by its abbreviated title of Ri-shu-kyō (Ch.: Li-qu-jing) or Han-nya-ri-shu-kyō (Ch.: Ban-ruo-li-qu-jing), and is held in high esteem by the Shingon School in Japan, where it is regularly recited, as the sūtra expounding the most profound teachings of Esoteric Buddhism.
The work as a whole is divided into 17 chapters, in the course of which Mahāvairocana, the dharmakāya of Esoteric Buddhism, discourses to Vajrasattva upon how to realize in everyday life the quintessence of Esoteric Buddhism and its ultimate goal of attaining Buddhahood in this life.

仁王般若波羅蜜経/佛說仁王般若波羅蜜經 (Nin-nō-han-nya-ha-ra-mitsu-kyō)

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 245)
Ch.: Ren-wang-ban-ruo-bo-luo-mi-jing
Skt.: Kāruṇikārājā-prajñāpāramitā-sūtra ?
This sūtra describes how the Buddha taught the kings of 16 countries that the most important factor in maintaining the security and welfare of a country is the practice of prajñāpāramitā, i.e. the Buddha’s wisdom. Owing to its contents, this sūtra has been held in especially high regard in Japan as a ‘Sūtra for Protecting the Country.’ Special services, called Ninnō-e, for the purpose of reciting this sūtra have been performed ever since A.D. 660. Together with the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra (No. 12) and Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra (No. 33), it is included among the so-called ‘Three Sūtras for Protecting the Country.’
It states, for example, that if this sūtra be recited at times of national upheaval, natural disaster, foreign invasion, etc., calamities may be averted, crops will ripen and the people prosper. Therefore, dealing as it does with very practical matters, frequent use was made of this sūtra by the Imperial House and the Shogunate in Japan.

般若波羅蜜多心経/般若波羅蜜多心經 (Han-nya-ha-ra-mit-ta-shin-gyō)

Translated by Xuan-zhuang 玄奘 (Jpn.: Genjō)
(Taishō No. 251)
Ch.: Ban-ruo-bo-lo-mi-duo-xing-jing
Skt.: Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya-sūtra
This sūtra, the so-called “Heart Sūtra” and better known in Japan by its abbreviated title of Han-nya-shin-gyō, consists of a mere 262 characters in its Chinese translation, yet has managed to condense the contents of the vast Mahāprajñāpāramitā-sūtra and summarize the essentials of the concept of ‘emptiness’ in a very concise form. ’Heart’ here means ‘the most important part,’ and refers to the essence of Prajñāpāramitā thought.
Owing to the high quality of Xuan-zhuang’s Chinese translation, it has long been used in Japan as a sūtra for recitation. In addition, it is recognized as an authoritative text by the majority of Buddhist schools in Japan, and so is recited at joint services. It is also the sūtra most popularly used when copying scriptures as a religious discipline.
Although its contents are of great profundity, it contains a large number of basic terms central to Buddhist doctrine, and is thus also suitable as an introduction to Buddhism.

妙法蓮華経/妙法蓮華經 (Myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō)

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 262)
Ch.: Miao-fa-lian-hua-jing
Skt.: Saddharmapuṇḍarīka
Eng.: The Lotus Sutra
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 3 “THE LOTUS SUTRA”)
The “Lotus Sūtra,” as it is generally known in the West, is one of the most important of all the Mahāyāna sūtras, and especially in Japan, where it is popularly known as the Ho-ke-kyō, it has been held in high regard ever since Prince Shōtoku included a commentary on it (No. 108) in his set of commentaries on three Mahāyāna sūtras (San-gyō-gi-sho).
It is a work of great literary merit, including as it does many sections of verse and various parables, but at the same time it has earned a lasting place in the history of Buddhism owing to the superior quality of its philosophical content. The concept of ‘One Vehicle’ especially, which permeates the whole work, has had immeasurable influence upon Japanese Buddhism.
It is divided into 28 chapters, of which Chapter 16, ‘The Life Span of the Tathāgata’ (Skt.: Tathāgatāyuṣpramāṇa-parivarta XV), is especially important for its eulogy of Śākyamuni as the embodiment of eternal life and as having attained enlightenment in the inconceivably remote past.
Among the numerous parables those of the three carts and the burning house, the wealthy man and his poor son, the three kinds of medicinal herbs and two kinds of trees, and the phantom city and the treasure land are especially famous. In addition Chapter 25, ‘The Universal Gate of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara’ (Skt.: Samantamukha-parivarta XXIV), which describes the blessings of the bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, was circulated in China and Japan as an independent sūtra called Kannon-gyō and is still recited today.
It is also a well-known fact that the chant, or daimoku, of the Nichiren School of Japan and related sects consists of the invocation na-mu added to the Japanese title of this sūtra, resulting in Na-mu-myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō.

無量義経/無量義經 (Mu-ryō-gi-kyō)

Translated by Dharmāgatayaśas 曇摩伽陀耶舎
(Taishō No. 276)
Ch.: Wu-liang-yi-jing
Eng. The Infinite Meanings Sutra
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 44 “TIANTAI LOTUS TEXTS”)
This “Sūtra of Infinite Meaning” forms part of the so-called “Threefold Lotus Sūtra” and was composed as an introduction to the “Lotus Sūtra” itself (No. 12), with its contents based upon the essence of the latter.
The term ‘Infinite Meaning’ in the title derives from the idea that since man’s defiling elements are infinite in number, the number of teachings to be taught must also be infinite, resulting in the fact that the meanings of those teachings also become infinite.

観普賢菩薩行法経/佛說觀普賢菩薩行法經 （Kan-fu-gen-bo-satsu-gyō-bō-kyō）

Translated by Dharmamitra 曇無蜜多
(Taishō No. 277)
Ch.: Guan-pu-xian-pu-sa-xing-fa-jing
Eng. The Sutra Expounded by The Buddha on Practice of The Way Through Contemplation of the Bodhisattva All-embracing Goodness
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 44 “TIANTAI LOTUS TEXTS”)
This “Sūtra of Meditation on the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra” forms the last part of the “Threefold Lotus Sūtra,” and taking up from where the last chapter of the “Lotus Sūtra” (‘The Encouragements of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra’; Skt.: Samantabhadrotsāhana-parivarta XXVI) ends, it is regarded as the conclusion to the “Lotus Sūtra” (No. 12).
It describes how, three months before passing away, Śākyamuni exhorted his disciples assembled in the Mahāvana retreat near Vaiśālī to meditate upon how the bodhisattva Samantabhadra practices and to repent of the sins committed by the six sensory organs.

大方広仏華厳経/大方廣佛華嚴經 （Dai-hō-kō-butsu-ke-gon-gyō）

Translated by Śikṣānanda 實叉難陀
(Taishō No. 279)
Ch.: Da-fang-guang-fo-hua-yan-jing
Skt.: Avataṃsaka-sūtra
This sūtra is said to record the first teaching expounded by Śākyamuni after his enlightenment under the bodhi tree.
Asserting that the whole universe be an emanation of the Buddha Vairocana, it goes on to develop a rather involved theory of dependent origination. It is stated that all things can be contained in a single thing, leading to a world view based upon the idea of the mutual identity and mutual penetration of all things.
Apart from this version of 80 fascicles, there is a older translation of 60 fascicles and a 40-fascicle version consisting of the single chapter entitled ‘Entry into the Dharma-World’ (Skt.: Gaṇḍavyūha).
The older translation of this sūtra is regarded as the basic text of the Kegon School in Japan, of which Tōdai-ji Temple is the head temple. It is also interesting to note that the story of the young Sudhana visiting a total of 53 teachers, related in the above-mentioned Gaṇḍavyūha, led to the establishment of 53 stages along the Tōkaidō Highway from Tōkyō to Kyōto in Japan.

勝鬘師子吼一乗大方便方広経/勝鬘師子吼一乘大方便方廣經 （Shō-man-shi-shi-ku-ichi-jō-dai-hō-ben-hō-kō-kyō）

Translated by Guṇabhadra 求那跋陀羅
(Taishō No. 353)
Ch: Sheng-man-shih-zi-hou-yi-cheng-da-fang-bian-fang-guang-jing
Skt.: Śrīmālādevīsiṃhanāda-sūtra
Eng.: The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion’s Roar
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 30 “THE SUTRA OF QUEEN SRIMALA OF THE LION’S ROAR/ THE VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA”)
This sūtra is generally known by its abbreviated title of Śrīmālā-sūtra, and as is suggested by the title, it was expounded by Śrīmālā, the daughter of King Prasenajit of Śrāvastī, under the inspiration of Śākyamuni. The most important subjects dealt with are the theory of the ‘One True Vehicle’ and the dharmakāya. The fact that the leading role is played by a woman distinguishes this work from other sūtras, and on the basis of the guarantee given by Śākyamuni it is used as textual authority to support the view that a woman too can become a buddha.
In Japan this sūtra has been regarded as important ever since Prince Shōtoku discoursed on it for the benefit of Empress Suiko, the first Empress in Japanese history, and further wrote a commentary on it (No. 106), included in his “Commentaries on Three Sūtras” (San-gyō-gi-sho).

無量寿経/佛說無量壽經 （Mu-ryō-ju-kyō）

Translated by Saṃghavarman 康僧鎧
(Taishō No. 360)
Ch.: Wu-liang-shou-jing
Skt.: Sukhāvatīvyūha
Eng.: The Larger Sutra on Amitāyus
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 8 “THE THREE PURE LAND SUTRAS”)
This “Larger Sukhāvatīvyūha” is one of the three basic sūtras of the Pure Land Faith, and is also known as Dai-mu-ryō-ju-kyō (Ch.: Da-wu-liang-shou-jing), Dai-kyō (Ch.: Da-jing) and Sō-kan-gyō (Ch.: Shuang-juan-jing). It relates how a certain mendicant monk by the name of Dharmākara, when practicing under the tutelage of the Tathāgata Lokeśvararāja, made 48 vows to save all suffering people; to fulfil these vows he created a paradise in the west called Sukhāvatī, and he himself thus became the Buddha Amitāyus. The sūtra states, furtherrnore, that if anyone believing in these 48 vows should chant the name of Amitāyus, he will be born in the paradise of Sukhāvatī and there become a buddha.
This sūtra being the longest of the three basic sūtras of the Pure Land Faith, it is common practice in the various Pure Land sects to use extracts from it for the purpose of recitation. Among such pieces there are the San-butsu-ge, a poem in which Dharmākara extols his teacher Lokeśvararāja, and the Jū-sei-ge, a verse-summary of the 48 vows in the form of 3 vows.

観無量寿仏経/佛說觀無量壽佛經 (Kan-mu-ryō-ju-butsu-kyō)

Translated by Kālayaśas 畺良耶舎
(Taishō No. 365)
Ch.: Guan-wu-liang-shou-fo-jing
Skt.: Amitāyurdhyāna-sūtra?
Eng.: The Sutra on Contemplation of Amitāyus
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 8 “THE THREE PURE LAND SUTRAS”)
This “Sūtra on the Meditation of Amitāyus,” also known by its abbreviated title of Kan-gyō, is one of the three basic sūtras of the Pure Land Faith, and in it is related one of the most well-known of all Buddhist tales, that of King Ajātaśatru and his mother Vaidehī.
One day Vaidehī, who was in a state of continual anguish owing to the wicked practices of her son, turned for help in the direction of Śākyamuni, whereupon the latter came to where she was, and after having shown her countless paradises in all directions, had her choose one. She chose the Sukhāvatī Paradise of Amitāyus in the west, and so Śākyamuni gave a detailed description of this paradise by means of 16 types of visualization. It should be mentioned that Wu-liang-shou-fo (Skt.: Amitāyus), or ‘Buddha of Immeasurable Life,’ in the title of this sūtra is a translation of the Chinese transliteration A-mi-tuo (Jpn.: Amida), which is also translated as Wu-liang-guang-fo (Jpn.: Muryōkō-butsu, Skt.: Amitā-bha) or ‘Buddha of Immeasurable Light.’

阿弥陀経/佛說阿彌陀經 (A-mi-da-kyō)

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 366)
Ch.: A-mi-tuo-jing
Skt.: Sukhāvatīvyūha
Eng.: The Smaller Sutra on Amitāyus
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 8 “THE THREE PURE LAND SUTRAS”)
This is the shortest of the three basic sūtras of the Pure Land Faith, thus being called the “Smaller Sukhāvatī vyūha,” and is even today frequently recited at religious services. It starts by giving a description of the splendours of Sukhāvatī, the western paradise of Amitāyus, and then goes on to explain what must be done in order to be born there. The Buddhas of the six directions (east, west, north, south, above and below) extol the virtues of the Buddha Amitāyus, and in conclusion it is recommended that one should generate the desire to be born in this paradise by believing in and chanting the name of Amitāyus.

大般涅槃経/大般涅槃經 (Dai-hatsu-ne-han-gyō)

Translated by Dharmakṣem 曇無讖
Taishō No. 374
Ch.: Da-ban-nie-pan-jing
Skt.: Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra
Eng. The Nirvana Sutra Volume Ⅰ
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 46 “THE NIRVANA SUTRA Volume Ⅰ”)
This sūtra gains its title from the fact that it deals with the teachings given by Śākyamuni shortly before his death (mahāparinirvāṇa).
The original meaning of nirvāṇa is ‘extinguishing the flames of passion and attaining the state of enlightenment.’ Since Śākyamuni attained enlightenment at the age of 35, he did in fact already enter nirvāṇa at this time.
But because it was considered impossible to completely extinguish the passions while retaining a physical body, Śākyamuni’s death came to be called mahāparinirvāṇa, i.e. ‘the state of great serenity in which the flames of passion have been completely extinguished,’ and in later times the phrase ‘to enter nirvāṇa’ by itself came to mean ‘to die.’
In any case, this sūtra is important both because it gives the teachings expounded by Śākyamuni immediately before his death and also because, containing as it does episodes relating to events before and after his death, it is valuable as historical source-material.

仏垂般涅槃略説教誡経/佛垂般涅槃略說敎誡經 （Bus-sui-hatsu-ne-han-ryaku-setsu-kyō-kai-kyō）

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 389)
Ch: Fo-chui-ban-nie-pan-lüe-shuo-jiao-jie-jing
Eng.: The Bequeathed Teaching Sutra
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 31 “APOCRYPHAL SCRIPTURES”)
This sūtra, generally known as the Yui-kyō-gyō (Ch.: Yi-jiao-jing), contains the last teachings of Śākyamuni, delivered to the disciples assembled around his deathbed between two sal trees. In this last sermon Śākyamuni urges his disciples to strive for enlightenment through the practice of the three disciplines (precepts, meditation and wisdom), and after having expounded other concepts basic to Buddhist thought, he ends by saying that this is his last teaching.
The sūtra has gained considerable popularity in Japan since it is said to record the Buddha’s last teachings, and it is held in especially high regard in the Zen sects.

地蔵菩薩本願経/地藏菩薩本願經 (Ji-zō-bo-satsu-hon-gan-gyō)

Translated by Śikṣānanda 實叉難陀
(Taishō No. 412)
Ch.: Di-cang-pu-sa-ben-yuan-jing
Skt.: Kṣitigarbhapraṇidhāna-sūtra?
The period following Śākyamuni’s death is known as the ‘Buddha-less Era,’ during which there are no buddhas until the appearance of the bodhisattva Maitreya, who is to become the next Buddha. It is during this ‘Buddha-less Era’ that the bodhisattva Kṣitigarbha appears in order to save sentient beings, and this sūtra describes the vow made to that effect by him in a previous life and the benefits accruing from that vow. At the same time it emphasizes the miraculous powers of the sūtra itself, stating that by reciting or hearing even a single phrase or verse of this sūtra all sins be expiated.

般舟三昧経/般舟三昧經 （Han-ju-zan-mai-kyō）

Translated by Lokakṣema 支婁迦讖
(Taishō No. 418)
Ch.: Ban-zhou-san-mei-jing
Skt.: Pratyutpannabuddhasaṃmukhāvasthita-samādhi-sūtra
Eng.: The Pratyutpanna Samādhi Sutra
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 13 “THE PRATYUTPANNA SAMADHI SUTRA/ THE SURANGAMA SAMADHI SUTRA”)
The pratyutpannabuddhasaṃmukhāvasthita-samādhi which gives its name to the title of this sūtra refers to the spiritual state wherein one is able to see by mental concentration buddhas appearing before one’s very eyes, and this sūtra describes the techniques involved in this meditation, giving Amitāyus who resides in the western paradise of Sukhāvatī as an example of a buddha who might appear in such a manner.
This is one of the oldest Mahāyāna sūtras, and the earliest sūtra to contain a reference to Amitāyus. It can thus be regarded as a forerunner of the Pure Land Sūtras. In Japan the meditation described in this sūtra has become the basis of an ambulatory meditation practice called jō-gyō-zanmai.

薬師琉璃光如来本願功徳経/藥師琉璃光如來本願功德經 (Yaku-shi-ru-ri-kō-nyo-rai-hon-gan-ku-doku-kyō)

Translated by Xuan-zhuang 玄奘 (Jpn.: Genjō)
(Taishō No. 450)
Ch.: Yao-shi-liu-li-guang-ru-lai-ben-yuan-gong-de-jing
Skt.: Bhaiṣajyaguruvaiḍūryaprabhāsapūrvapraṇidhānaviśeṣavistara
This sūtra, with its emphasis upon the merits of the Healing Buddha Bhaiṣajyaguru, is mainly devoted to exhorting people to take faith in this Buddha, as a result of which they will be born in his eastern paradise of Pure Lapiz Lazuli; but at the same time it does not deny rebirth in Sukhāvatī, the western paradise of Amitāyus, and other heavenly realms. Thus this sūtra may be characterized as a work which brought together existing ideas on the attainment of worldly benefits and rebirth in paradisiacal realms.
Prior to his enlightenment, the Healing Buddha is said to have made 12 vows wherein he promises to cure sentient beings of all sicknesses and all physical handicaps, and thereby lead them to enlightenment. As a result this Buddha has enjoyed an enduring popularity in Japan ever since the introduction of and Buddhism, the basis for this faith is to be found in this sūtra.

弥勒下生成仏経/佛說彌勒下生成佛經 （Mi-roku-ge-shō-jō-butsu-kyō）

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 454)
Ch.: Mi-le-xia-sheng-cheng-fo-jing
Skt.: Maitreyavyākaraṇa?
Eng. The Sutra That Expounds The Descent Of Maitreya Buddha and His Enlightenment
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 50 “THE SUTRA THAT EXPOUNDS THE DESCENT OF MAITREYA BUDDHA AND HIS ENLIGHTENMENT/ THE SUTRA OF MAÑJUŚRĪ’S QUESTIONS”)
The death of Śākyamuni, the founder of Buddhism, is said to be followed by a so-called ‘Buddha-less Era,’ after which it is believed that Maitreya, at present a bodhisattva expounding the teachings in the Tuṣita Heaven, will become the next Buddha. This sūtra describes in detail how Maitreya will in 5,670 million years reappear in this world (xia-sheng) and become a buddha (cheng-fo) under the ‘dragon-flower’ tree (Skt.: nāgakeśara). It is one of the group of sūtras known as the ‘Six Maitreya Sūtras.’

文殊師利問経/文殊師利問經 （Mon-ju-shi-ri-mon-gyō）

Translated by Saṃghabhara 僧伽婆羅
(Taishō No. 468)
Ch.: Wen-shu-shi-li-wen-jing
Skt.: Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā?
Eng. The Sutra Of Mañjuśrī’s Questions
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 50 “THE SUTRA THAT EXPOUNDS THE DESCENT OF MAITREYA BUDDHA AND HIS ENLIGHTENMENT/ THE SUTRA OF MAÑJUŚRĪ’S QUESTIONS”)
This “Questions of Mañjuśrī” deals mainly with the precepts that a bodhisattva should observe, and takes the format of Śākyamuni’s replying to questions put by Mañjuśri. The greater part of the sūrta is thus devoted to a detailed exposition of the precepts to be observed by a bodhisattva, starting with the ten precepts. In addition it also explains the Buddhist significance of the 50 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, and describes how the branch of Buddhism came to be divided into 20 minor schools.
On the basis of its contents this sūtra is considered to be of rather late composition, dating from at least after such works as the Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra (No. 34), Mahā-parinirvāṇa-sūtra (No. 20) and Madhyamaka-kārikā (No. 52).

維摩詰所説経/維摩詰所說經 （Yui-ma-kitsu-sho-setsu-kyō）

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 475)
Ch.: Wei-mo-jie-suo-shuo-jing
Skt.: Vimalakīrtinirdeśa
Eng.: The Vimalakīrti Sūrta
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 30 “THE SUTRA OF QUEEN SRIMALA OF THE LION’S ROAR/ THE VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA”)
As implied by the title, the protagonist of this “Teaching of Vimalakīrti” is a layman by the name of Vimalakīrti, well-versed in the profundities of Mahāyāna Buddhism. He happens to fall ill, and the sūtra starts from the point where Śākyamuni, hearing of his illness, asks his disciples to go to visit him. However, since each of the disciples has in the past been got the better of by Vimalakīrti in some way or other, they all refuse to go; so in the end it is Mañjuśrī who agrees to visit him in their stead. As a result a discussion on the profound teachings of the Mahāyāna unfolds between Vimalakīrti and Mañjuśrī.
This sūtra is held in high regard in Japan, not least because Prince Shōtoku included a commentary on it (No. 107) in his “Commentaries on Three Sūtras” (San-gyō-gi-sho). But even disregarding this fact, it has considerable appeal due to its dramatic contents, and is an important key to an understanding of the profound thought of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

月上女経/佛說月上女經 （Gatsu-jō-nyo-kyō）

Translated by Jñānagupta 闍那崛多
(Taishō No. 480)
Ch.: Yue-shang-nü-jing
Skt.: Candrottarādārikāparipṛcchā
This “Questions of Candrottarā” describes how Candrottarā, the daughter of a man of wealth by the name of Vimalakīrti, receives a guarantee of being able to become a buddha without fail in a future lifetime. After having performed various miracles, it is said that she will eventually turn into a male and, taking the vows of a mendicant monk, become a disciple of the Buddha.
The Vimalakīrti who appears in this sūtra is portrayed simply as an ordinary wealthy man, in contrast to the veritable embodiment of Mahāyāna thought of the same name appearing in the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa (No. 27).
Therefore it is considered that the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa was composed at a later date, having gained a hint from the present work.
This sūtra is also said to have provided the plot of the famous Japanese fairytale Taketori-monogatari (“Tale of the Bamboo Cutter”).

坐禅三昧経/坐禪三昧經 （Za-zen-zan-mai-kyō）

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 614)
Ch.: Zuo-chan-san-mei-jing
Eng.: The Sutra on the Concentration of Sitting Meditation
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 40 “THE SUTRA ON THE CONCENTRATION OF SITTING MEDITATION”)
This “Meditation Sūtra” presents a summary of the methods of spiritual training employed by a number of Indian practitioners. Before the introduction of this sūtra into China there had been some practice of Chan (Jpn.: Zen) in China, but it had all been based upon Hīnayāna methods. This sūtra, on the other hand, describes Mahāyāna methods as well as Hīnayāna methods, and so clarifies the relationship between the two. This led to the development of the practice of mental concentration called zhi-guan in the Tian-tai School and the birth of the Chinese schools of Chan. Thus one can say that this sūtra exerted considerable influence in later times.

達摩多羅禅経/達摩多羅禪經 （Datsu-ma-ta-ra-zen-gyō）

Translated by Buddhabhadra 佛陀跋陀羅
(Taishō No. 618)
Ch.: Da-mo-duo-luo-chan-jing
Skt.: Yogācārabhūmi-sūtra?
This is a work composed by Dharmatrāta and Buddhasena, two monks who popularized the practice of Chan (Jpn.: Zen) meditation as a method of spiritual training in Central Asia at the start of the fifth century A.D., and the name of the former has been attached to the Chinese title. However, the actual contents of the sūtra are centered upon the teachings of Buddhasena on the Hīnayāna methods of training, and it is said that the teachings of Dharmatrāta based upon the Mahāyāna are missing. But since the instructions directed to practitioners are described in a very concrete manner, this work has long served as a popular and practical handbook, and owing to confusion of the name Dharmatrāta in the title with Bodhidharma, the founder of the Chan School in China, it has been held in high regard in Chan sects as an exposition of Bodhidharma’s teachings.

月灯三昧経/月燈三昧經 （Gat-tō-zan-mai-kyō）

Translated by Narendrayaśas 那連提耶舎
(Taishō No. 639)
Ch.: Yue-dêng-san-mei-jing
Skt.: Samādhirāja-candrapradīpa-sūtra
This sūtra sets forth a dialogue between a youth by the name of Candragupta and the Buddha, in which the Buddha describes in reply to the former’s questions a method of practice for viewing everything as without distinction. The central theme underlying the whole sūtra is that by viewing all that exists as without substance similar to a dream or illusion, it is possible to attain enlightenment, which is the supreme virtue. The methods by which one can attain such a state are also described in detail.

首楞厳三昧経/佛說首楞嚴三昧經 （Shu-ryō-gon-zan-mai-kyō）

Translated by Kumārajīva 鳩摩羅什
(Taishō No. 642)
Ch.: Shou-leng-yen-san-mei-jing
Skt. Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra
Eng.: The Śūraṅgama Samādhi Sutra
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 13 “THE PRATYUTPANNA SAMADHI SUTRA/ THE SURANGAMA SAMADHI SUTRA”)
This sūtra, abbreviated as Śūraṅgama-sūtra, expounds the essentials of meditative practice. In reply to the question of the bodhisattva Dṛḍhamati, asking about the supreme samādhi for the attainment of enlightenment among the various methods of spiritual training, the Buddha replies that the śūraṅgama-samādhi (‘Samādhi of the Heroic March’) be the foremost among all methods of spiritual training, embracing within it all other methods of practice, and he then goes on to describe it in detail, explaining its powers and how to go about practicing it.
Viewed historically, the thought presented in this sūtra anticipates such works as the Avataṃsaka-sūtra (No.15), Vimalakīrtinirdeśa (No. 27) and Saddharmapuṇḍarīka (No. 12), and it is considered to have been composed around the start of the Christian Era.

金光明最勝王経/金光明最勝王經 （Kon-kō-myō-sai-shō-ō-kyō）

Translated by Yi-jing 義浄 (Jpn.: Gijō)
(Taishō No. 665)
Ch.: Jin-guang-ming-zui-sheng-wang-jing
Skt.: Suvarṇaprabhāsa-sūtra
The principal theme of this “Sūtra of Golden Light” is that the recitation of this sūtra results in a country’s being protected by such deities as the Kings of the Four Quarters. Consequently this sūtra was held in high esteem in Japan in former times as one of the so-called ‘Three Sūtras for Protecting the Country,’ together with the Saddharmapuṇḍarīka (No. 12) and Nin-nō-kyō (No. 10). The construction of Shitennō-ji Temple, the performance of the service called Saishō-e, and the establishment of provincial temples called kokubunji throughout the country were all carried out on the basis of this sūtra. Therefore, it is valid to say that this work exerted considerable influence upon early Japanese Buddhism.

大乗入楞伽経/大乘入楞伽經（Dai-jō-Nyū-ryō-ga-kyō）

Translated by Śiksānanda 實叉難陀
(Taishō No. 672)
Ch.: Da-sheng-Ru-leng-qie-jing
Skt.: Mahāyāna- Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra
This sūtra is a work representative of late Indian Mahāyāna Buddhism, combining as it does the philosophy centered upon the concept of tathāgatagarbha, which asserts that the mind of even the lowliest person contains the seeds of enlightenment, with the theory of eight consciousnesses, which divides the functions of the mind into eight aspects with the ālayavijñāna (‘store-consciousness’) as the eighth and basic consciousness. Its teachings are therefore of considerable importance.
However, owing to the fact that it does in part resemble a miscellaneous collection of ideas of various Buddhist schools flourishing at the time, its teachings may indeed appear of a composite nature. Yet it is possible to detect a consistent line of thought regarding the understanding of the term ‘non-discrimination’ underlying the whole work. This sūtra is also important in that it anticipates the standpoint presented in “The Awakening of Faith” (No. 68), and it has exerted considerable inftuence upon the thought of the Chan sects.

般若波羅蜜多心経幽賛/般若波羅蜜多心經幽賛 （Han-nya-ha-ra-mit-ta-shin-gyō-yū-san）

Composed by Kui-ji 窺基 (Jpn.: Kiki)
(Taishō No. 1710)
Ch.: Ban-ruo-po-luo-mi-duo-xin-jing-yu-zan
Eng.: A Comprehensive Commentary on the Heart Sutra (Prajñāpāramitā-hṛdaya-sūtra)
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 22 “A COMPREHENSIVE COMMENTARY ON THE HEART SUTRA”)
This work is the earliest Chinese commentary on the “Heart Sūtra” (Xuan-zhuang translation; No. 11), and is also known by its abbreviated title of Shin-gyō-yū-san. It gives a word-for-word commentary on the “Heart Sūtra” based upon the doctrines of the Fa-hsiang School, but also adds interpretations following the doctrifles of the San-lun School.

妙法蓮華経玄義/妙法蓮華經玄義 （Myō-hō-ren-ge-kyō-gen-gi）

Composed by Zhi-yi 智顗 (Jpn.: Chigi)
(Taishō No. 1716)
Ch.: Miao-fa-lian-hua-jing-xuan-yi
This work, the title of which means “The Profound Meaning of the Lotus Sūtra,” is one of the so-called ‘Three Major Works of the Tian-tai School,’ together with the Hok-ke-mon-gu (Ch.: Fa-hua-wen-ju; Taishō No. 1718) and Ma-ka-shi-kan (No. 79), and is usually known as the Hok-ke-gen-gi. It presents a comprehensive interpretation of the five characters comprising the Chinese title of the “Lotus Sūtra” (No. 12), giving at the same time a detailed exposition of the doctrines of the Tian-tai School, which are based upon the thought of the “Lotus Sūtra.” It was thus a work of indispensable importance in the establishment of the Tian-tai School in China, and serves in fact as the basic framework of the Tian-tai school of thought.
It represents a record of the teachings of Zhi-yi as recorded by his disciple Guan-ding (Jpn.: Kanjō), and is not simply a theoretical work, but is characterized by the fact that it is grounded on Zhi-yi’s own religious experience.

観無量寿仏経疏/觀無量壽佛經疏 （Kan-mu-ryō-ju-butsu-kyō-sho）

Composed by Shan-dao 善導 (Jpn.: Zendō)
(Taishō No. 1753)
Ch.: Guan-wu-liang-shou-fo-jing-shu
A commentary on the Amitāyurdhyāna-sūtra (No. 18), this work is also known as the Kan-gyō-sho, but in Japan it is most commonly called the Shi-jō-no-sho (“Commentary of Four Books”) owing to the fact that it consists of four parts.
This work represents the core of Shan-tao’s Pure Land thought, and has exerted considerable influence upon Pure Land Buddhism in Japan. Hōnen, the founder of the Pure Land School in Japan, came in contact with it through Genshin’s Ō-jō-yō-shū (No. 131), and as a result discarded all his previous practices and entered the path of ‘exclusive practice of nembutsu.’ Ever since it has been regarded as an extremely important work in the Japanese Pure Land School.

三論玄義 （San-ron-gen-gi）

Composed by Ji-zang 吉藏 (Jpn.: Kichizō)
(Taishō No. 1852)
Ch.: San-lun-xuan-yi
This “Profound Meaning of the Three Treatises” written by Ji-zang, a prolific writer who completed the theoretical foundation of the San-lun School, is the basic treatise of the San-lun (Jap.: Sanron) School, and serves as a concise introduction to the thought of the Mādhyamika School. San-lun, meaning ‘Three Treatises,’ refers to the Madhyamaka-śāstra (No. 52), Śata-śāstra (Taishō No. 1569) and Dvādaśamukha-śāstra (Taishō No. 1568), and in this work Ji-zang first explains why these three treatises, together with the Mahāprajñāpāramitā-śāstra (Taishō No. 1509), are held in such high regard in the San-lun School, and then goes on to elaborate on the characteristics of each of these works and on their interrelationship.
In the Japanese Sanron School more importance has in fact been placed upon this work than upon the ‘Three Treatises’ themselves.

大乗玄論/大乘玄論 （Dai-jō-gen-ron）

Composed by Ji-zang 吉藏 (Jpn.: Kichizō)
(Taishō No. 1853)
Ch.: Da-cheng-xuan-lun
One of the most important works written by Ji-zang, who brought the doctrines of the San-lun School to their culmination, this “Treatise on the Profound Meaning of the Mahāyāna” is an attempt to systematize the teachings of Buddhism from the Mādhyamika standpoint of the San-lun School. He deals with the principal currents of thought to be found in the Mahāyāna sūtras being studied in China at the time, and presents a contrastive study of their contents in comparison with the doctrines of the San-lun School. Therefore this work can be regarded together with the San-ron-gen-gi (No. 74) as one of the most important authoritative works of the San-lun School.

肇論 （Jō-ron）

Composed by Seng-zhao 僧肇 (Jpn.: Sōjō)
(Taishō No. 1858)
Ch.: Zhao-lun
This work, the title of which means literally “Treatises of Seng-zhao,” consists of four treatises by Sêng-chao, a disciple of Kumārajīva, with a short piece added summarizing the basic views of the author on Buddhism. It exerted considerable influence on later Chinese Buddhism, and together with his Chū-yui-ma (Ch.: Zhu-wei-mo; “Commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa”; Taishō No. 1775), is one of his representative works. It is characterized by its typically Chinese understanding and interpretation of Buddhism, and is of significance in that important aspects of Buddhist doctrine are interpreted by reference to traditional Chinese philosophy. It is therefore a very important work when considering the development of Buddhism in China.

華厳一乗教義分斉章/華嚴一乘教義分齊章 （Ke-gon-ichi-jō-kyō-gi-bun-zai-shō）

Composed by Fa-zang 法藏 (Jpn.: Hōzō)
(Taishō No. 1866)
Ch.: Hua-yan-yi-cheng-jiao-yi-fen-qi-zhang
This work, which is generally known as the (Ke-gon-) go-kyō-shō (Ch.: [Hua-yen-] wu-jiao-zhang; “Essay on the Five Teachings”), is both an outline of Buddhism from the standpoint of the Hua-yen School and an introduction to the teachings of the Hua-yen School itself. Buddhism is divided into five ‘teachings’ and the Avataṃsaka-sūtra (No. 15) is ranked as the supreme sūtra, but at the same time the author does not lose sight of Buddhism as an organic whole, attempting as he does to present a comprehensive systematization of its teachings.

原人論 （Gen-nin-ron）

Composed by Zong-mi 宗密 (Jpn.: Shūmitsu)
(Taishō No. 1886)
Ch.: Yuan-ren-lun
In this work, also known as the Ke-gon-gen-nin-ron (Ch.: Hua-yen-yuan-ren-lun), Zong-mi, who advocated the amalgamation of Chan and Hua-yen, deals with the subject of the basis of human existence. He starts by criticizing Confucianism and Taoism and rejecting Hīnayāna and ‘Provisional’ Mahāyāna, after which he goes on to explain the true Mahāyāna, and then concludes by stating that all the viewpoints and philosophies which he has so far criticized are in fact factors which help to effect the manifestation of the true basis of human existence. One can thus say that in this work Zong-mi is attempting to bring together all teachings in a united whole.

摩訶止観/摩訶止觀 （Ma-ka-shi-kan）

Expounded by Zhi-yi 智顗 (Jpn.: Chigi)
(Taishō No. 1911)
Ch.: Mo-he-zhi-guan
One of the so-called ‘Three Major Works of the Tian-tai School’ (v. No. 72), this work is a collection of lectures delivered by Chih-i, the founder of the Chinese Tian-tai School, and recorded by his disciple Kuan-ting (Jpn. : Kanjō), and is also known as the Ten-dai-ma-ka-shi-kan (Ch.: Tian-tai-mo-he-zhi-guan) or simply Shi-kan. It is the basic exposition of the methods of practice employed in the Tian-tai School, and describes the methods of practice for observing clearly the essence of the mind. It is divided into 10 chapters, but is incomplete, with Chapters 8 to 10 missing. However, it is a work which has exerted considerable influence upon the later development of Buddhism in China and Japan.
Being based as it is on Zhi-yi’s own religious experiences and practice, this work is held in particularly high esteem, and it is in fact due to this work that Zhi-yi has been looked upon as the greatest of all Buddhist leaders in the history of Chinese Buddhism.

修習止観坐禅法要/修習止觀坐禪法要 (Shu-jū-shi-kan-za-zen-hō-yō)

Composed by Zhi-yi 智顗 (Jpn.: Chigi)
(Taishō No. 1915)
Ch.: Xiu-xi-zhi-guan-zuo-chan-fa-yao
Also known as the Dō-mō-shi-kan (Ch.: Tong-meng-zhi-guan) or Shō-shi-kan (Ch.: Xiao-zhi-guan), this work presents for the sake of novices the basic essentials of the method of meditation employed in the Tian-tai (Jpn.: Tendai) School. It is said to have been originally written by Zhi-yi, the founder of the Tian-tai School in China, for his elder brother Chen-zhen (Jpn.: Chinshin), and this has resulted in its extremely concise exposition of the methods of practice. It is thus considered as necessary reading for all novice monks in the Japanese Tendai School.

天台四教儀/天台四敎儀（Ten-dai-shi-kyō-gi）

Recorded by Di-guan 諦觀 (Jpn.: Taikan)
(Taishō No. 1931)
Ch.: Tian-tai-si-jiao-yi
Eng. A Guide to the Tiantai Fourfold Teachings
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 44 “TIANTAI LOTUS TEXTS”)
This work, also known simply as the Shi-kyō-gi (“Outline of the Four Teachings”) or as Tai-kan-roku (Ch.: Di-guan-lu; “Record of Chegwan”), presents a synopsis of the doctrines of the Tian-tai School together with an outline of the methods of practice employed in this school. It is thus an introduction to the Buddhism of the Tian-tai School, but serves at the same time as an introduction to Buddhism as a whole, elucidating as it does the tenets of Buddhism in general. This work was discovered after the death of the author, who had come to China from Koryŏ.

国清百録/國淸百録（Koku-sei-hyaku-roku）

Compiled by Guan-ding 灌頂 (Jpn.: Kanjō)
(Taishō No. 1934)
Ch.: Guo-qing-bai-lu
This work consists of a collection of 104 documents and other materials relating to Zhi-yi and put together by Kuan-ting, one of his disciples. Guo-qing in the title refers to Guo-qing Temple, the main temple of the Tian-tai School in China, and bai-lu (“One Hundred Records”) is a round figure referring to the 104 documents contained in this work.
This work provides the basic sources in the study of Zhi-yi’s biography, containing as it does imperial edicts, correspondence addressed to Zhi-yi, inscriptions, etc. It is therefore rich in material giving information on the state of affairs at the time, and contains important data relating to the early stages in the history of the Tian-tai School in China.

鎮州臨済慧照禅師語録/鎭州臨濟慧照禪師語録 （Chin-shū-rin-zai-e-shō-zen-ji-go-roku）

Compiled by Hui-ran 慧然 (Jpn.: Enen)
(Taishō No. 1985)
Ch.: Zhn-zhou-lin-ji-hui-zhao-chan-shi-wu-lu
Eng.: The Recorded Sayings of Linji
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 15 “THREE CHAN CLASSICS”)
This work, generally known as “The Record of Lin-ji,” is a record of the teachings of Lin-ji Yi-xuan (Jpn.: Rinzai Gigen), the founder of the Lin-ji branch of the Chan (Jpn.: Zen) School, and was compiled by one of his disciples, Hui-ran. In the Lin-ji (Jpn.: Rinzai) School it is regarded as the most important collection of the recorded sayings of a Chan Master.
Zhen-zhou in the title is the name of the prefecture, and Lin-ji the name of the place where Lin-ji resided; Hui-chao Chan-shih (Chan-shih: ‘Chan Master’) is the title conferred upon him posthumously by the Tang emperor.

仏果圜悟禅師碧巌録/佛果圜悟禪師碧巖録 （Buk-ka-en-go-zen-ji-heki-gan-roku）

Compiled by Zhong-xian 重顯( Jpn.: Jūken); commented upon by Ke-qin 克勤 (Jpn.: Kokugon)
(Taishō No. 2003)
Ch.: Fo-guo-yuan-wu-chan-shi-bi-yan-lu
Eng.: The Blue Cliff Record
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 14 “THE BLUE CLIFF RECORD”)
This “Blue Cliff Record,” also known as the Heki-gan-shū (Ch.: Bi-yan-ji; “Blue Cliff Collection”), consists of 100 gong-an (Jpn.: kōan) selected by Zhong-xian from the 1700 gong-an of the Den-tō-roku (Ch.: Zhuan-deng-lu; “Transmission of the Lamp”; Taishō No. 2076). Zhongxian has added explanatory verses to each of the gong-an, and later the comments of Ke-qin (= Yuan-wu in the title) were appended. In the Lin-ji (Jpn.: Rinzai) School this work is held in extremely high regard, and is looked upon as a model text for instruction in the practice of Chan.
It should be mentioned that the term gong-an refers to records of the statements and actions of eminent practitioners of Chan which are given to novices as aids to meditation.

無門関/無門關 （Mu-mon-kan）

Compiled by Zong-shao 宗紹 (Jpn.: Shūshō)
(Taishō No. 2005)
Ch.: Wu-men-guan
Eng.: Wumen’s Gate
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 15 “THREE CHAN CLASSICS”)
This “Gatelass Barrier” consists of 48 gong-an (v. No. 84) selected by Wu-men Hui-kai (Jpn.: Mumon Ekai), a Chan monk of the Song Dynasty, to each of which are added a verse and comment. It has traditionally been the most highly prized work in the Chan School. When compared with other collections of gong-an, the gong-an contained in this work are relatively few in number, and this together with the fact that it is an introductory work to the practice of Chan has resulted in frequent use being made of it.
‘Gateless’ in the title means that although there is no gate to pass through when entering the state of enlightenment, there is an invisible gate called ‘Gateless.’

六祖大師法宝壇経/六祖大師法寶壇經 （Roku-so-dai-shi-hō-bō-dan-gyō）

Compiled by Zong-bao 宗寶 (Jpn.: Shūhō); recorded by Fa-hai 法海 (Jpn.: Hokkai) et al.
(Taishō No. 2008)
Ch.: Liu-zu-da-shi-fa-bao-tan-jing
Eng.: The Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 21 “THE PLATFORM SUTRA OF THE SIXTH PATRIARCH”)
This work consists of a record of the teachings of Hui-neng (Jpn.: Enō), the Sixth Patriarch of the Chan School in China, recorded by his disciple Fa-hai, and is known by several abbreviated titles such as Roku-so-dan-gyō (“Platform Sūtra of the Sixth Patriarch”), Dan-gyō (“Platform Sūtra”) or Hō-bō-dan-gyō (“Platform Sūtra of the Dharma Treasure”). It proclaims the independence of the Southern School of Chan from the Northern School, and discusses such subjects as ‘sudden enlightenment’ (dun-wu; Jpn.: tongo) and the external expression of one’s real nature (jian-xing; Jpn.: kenshō).

信心銘 （Shin-jin-mei）

Composed by Seng-can 僧璨 (Jpn.: Sōsan)
(Taishō No. 2010)
Ch.: Xin-xin-ming
Eng.: The Faith-Mind Maxim
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 15 “THREE CHAN CLASSICS”)
In this work Seng-can, the Third Patriarch of the Chan School in China, gives expression to the highest state of Chan. It is a short work, consisting of 146 lines of 4 characters a line and amounting to a mere 584 characters, and states that the ultimate truth of Chan corresponds to a state of equality and absolute freedom, free of all differentiation and conflict, right and wrong, loss and gain.
These verses have been a favourite object of memorization and recitation by countless Chan monks over the ages, and with the development of Chan over the centuries they have become deeply imbedded in the life of Chan monasteries.

勝鬘経義疏/勝鬘經義疏（Shō-man-gyō-gi-sho）

Composed by Prince Shōtoku 聖德太子
(Taishō No. 2185)
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 42 “PRINCE SHŌTOKU’S COMMENTARY ON THE ŚRĪMĀLĀ SUTRA”)
This work is a commentary on the Śrīmālā-sūtra (No. 16), and is considered to be the earliest of the “Commentaries on Three Sūtras” (San-gyō-gi-sho) composed by Prince Shōtoku.
The Nihon-shoki (“Chronicles of Japan”) records that Prince Shōtoku gave a discourse on the Śrīmālā-sūtra for Empress Suiko. It is considered that Prince Shōtoku chose this particular sūtra as the subject of his discourse to the Empress probably because the protagonist of the Śrīmālā-sūtra is a woman, Śrīmālā, and Empress Suiko was the first Empress in Japanese history. The present work was then put together in book-form at a later date.
Be that as it may, there is no changing the fact that this was the first written work composed by a Japanese.

維摩経義疏/維摩經義疏 （Yui-ma-kyō-gi-sho）

Composed by Prince Shōtoku 聖德太子
(Taishō No. 2186)
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 43 “EXPOSITORY COMMENTARY ON VIMALAKĪRTI SUTRA”)
A commentary on the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa (No. 27), this work is one of the “Commentaries on Three Sūtras” (San-gyō-gi-sho) composed by Prince Shōtoku. It is considered that one reason for Prince Shōtoku’s having chosen this particular sūtra was the fact that the status of the protagonist Vimalakīrti, not an ordained monk but a simple lay bodhisattva, resembled his own position.
There have in the past been raised doubts whether this work was in fact composed by Prince Shōtoku. However, at present there is no conclusive proof indicating that it be the work of someone other than the author of the other two “Commentaries on Three Sūtras,” and so it is considered that the most reasonable view be to ascribe all three commentaries to Prince Shōtoku.

法華義疏 （Hok-ke-gi-sho）

Composed by Prince Shōtoku 聖德太子
(Taishō No. 2187)
This work is a commentary on the “Lotus Sūtra” (No. 12), and is one of the “Commentaries on Three Sūtras” (San-gyō-gi-sho) by Prince Shōtoku. Although the author does refer to Chinese commentaries on the “Lotus Sūtra,” his own original views are also in evidence throughout the work. Thus it can be regarded as the first interpretation of Buddhist thought by a Japanese.
In particular, the author’s evaluation of the contents of the “Lotus Sūtra” as the ‘One Mahāyāna’ had immense impact upon Japanese Buddhism in later times. In fact the “Lotus Sūtra” has been regarded throughout the history of Japanese Buddhism as one of the most important of all sūtras.

般若心経秘鍵/般若心經祕鍵 （Han-nya-shin-gyō-hi-ken）

Composed by Kūkai 空海
(Taishō No. 2203-A)
Today the “Heart Sūtra” (Jpn.: Han-nya-shin-gyō; No. 11) is still used in many schools of Japanese Buddhism, and over the centuries many commentaries have been composed on this sūtra. This particular commentary, “The Secret Key to the Heart Sūtra,” is characterized by the fact that it is written from the standpoint of the Shingon School of Esoteric Buddhism, asserting that the “Heart Sūtra” be in fact an esoteric text.
Kūkai discusses first the general purport, title, and variant translations of this sūtra from the standpoint of Esoteric Buddhism, and then goes on to divide it into 5 parts and to give an interpretation of each part. According to the colophon, this commentary was composed by imperial order at a time when the land was being ravaged by a plague.

大乗法相研神章/大乘法相研神章 （Dai-jō-hos-sō-ken-jin-shō）

Composed by Gomyō 護命
(Taishō No. 2309)
In 830 Emperor Junna ordered each of the Buddhist schools to present to the throne a treatise outlining the essentials of its teachings. The six works presented at this time are known collectively as the “Six Religious Treatises of the Tenchō Era,” and the present work is the treatise submitted on this occasion by the Hossō School.
The author Gomyō was the most renowned Buddhist scholar of the Early Heian Period and seems to have been a prolific writer, but his only extant work is the present treatise. This work is important not simply because it is one of the “Six Religious Treatises” but also because it is a valuable source of material in the study of the Mind-Only doctrine in Japan.

観心覚夢鈔/觀心覺夢鈔 （Kan-jin-kaku-mu-shō）

Composed by Ryōhen 良遍
(Taishō No. 2312)
Kanjin (‘observing the mind’) in the title means to observe that no external phenomena exist independent of the human mind, and kakumu (‘awaking from a dream’) means to awaken from the dream of bewildered existence by means of such observation and to realize the truth.
In other words, this work represents a fusion of the Mind-Only doctrine and Mahāyāna Buddhism from the standpoint of the former, composed in order to counter the Neo-Buddhism of the Kamakura Period. Thus it can also be regarded as an introduction to the philosophy of the Mind-Only doctrine, although the theories evolved therein are somewhat unorthodox owing to the fact that the ideas of the author are also based upon an understanding of the doctrines of the Kegon, Vinaya and Pure Land schools of thought.

律宗綱要 （Ris-shū-kō-yō）

Composed by Gyōnen 凝然
(Taishō No. 2348)
Eng.: The Essentials of the Vinaya Tradition
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 9 “THE COLLECTED TEACHINGS OF THE TENDAI LOTUS SCHOOL / THE ESSENTIALS OF THE VINAYA TRADITION”)
There is a work by the same author entitled Has-shū-kō-yō (“Essentials of the Eight Traditions”; No. 136), giving an outline of the six schools of Japanese Buddhism belonging to the Nara Period and the two schools of the Heian Period. This “Essentials of the Vinaya Tradition,” however, deals only with Risshū, the Vinaya School, giving a detailed account of its teachings and history.
It describes the position occupied by discipline within the framework of Buddhist practice, discusses in concrete terms and from a practitioner’s point of view the various forms of discipline, ranging from those of Hīnayāna Buddhism to those of Mahāyāna Buddhism, and gives an account of the transmission of the individual articles of the monastic code from India via China to Japan, indicating at the same time the changes that had taken place up until the time of the author.

天台法華宗義集 （Ten-dai-hok-ke-shū-gi-shū）

Composed by Gishin 義眞
(Taishō No. 2366)
Eng.: The Collected Teachings of the Tendai Lotus School
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 9 “THE COLLECTED TEACHINGS OF THE TENDAI LOTUS SCHOOL / THE ESSENTIALS OF THE VINAYA TRADITION”)
In the Early Heian Period (830) Emperor Junna ordered each of the Buddhist schools to submit a treatise outlining the essentials of its teachings. These are collectively known as the “Six Religious Treatises (of the Tenchō Era),” and the present work, also known simply as the Ten-dai-shū-gi-shū, is one of these, being a summary of the teachings of the Tendai School. It gives a short and clear explanation of most of the main tenets of the Tendai School, and is thus very convenient for acquainting the reader with the doctrines of this school.

顕戒論/顯戒論 （Ken-kai-ron）

Composed by Saichō 最澄
(Taishō No. 2376)
The author of this work, Saichō, was strongly opposed to the Hīnayāna monastic precepts, favouring instead the Mahāyāna precepts. In support of his ideas he had presented to the throne the San-ge-gaku-shō-shiki (No. 115), specifying in three sections the regulations to be observed by monks of the Tendai School. Owing to the intense opposition of the six schools of Buddhism based in Nara, Saichō was unable to gain ready imperial sanction for these regulations. Accordingly he composed this “Treatise Clarifying the Precepts,” written to counter the arguments of the Nara schools against the four articles of the third section of his San-ge-gaku-shō-shiki. In the present work, he demonstrates that it is not at all proper to adhere stubbornly to the Hīnayāna precepts, giving at the same time detailed quotations of the arguments of the Nara schools. As it turned out, permission for the Mahāyāna precepts was not granted during Saichō’s lifetime; imperial sanction was finally given one week after his death, and the Tendai School was recognized as an independent school unattached to the Nara schools. In the light of these facts, it is valid to say that this work exerted considerable influence upon Japanese attitudes towards monastic precepts.

山家学生式/山家學生式 （San-ge-gaku-shō-shiki）

Composed by Saichō 最澄
(Taishō No. 2377)
This work presents the regulations laid down by Saichō, the founder of the Japanese Tendai School, to be observed by young monks being trained in this school. The first section consists of six articles and lists the regulations for the two students annually appointed by the court to study Tendai Buddhism; the second section, consisting of eight articles, gives a more detailed explanation of these regulations; and the third section, consisting of four articles, discusses the Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna precepts. These three groups of regulations are collectively known as the San-ge-gaku-shō-shiki (“Regulations for Students of the Mountain School”).
At the time of Saichō it was necessary for monks to be ordained in accordance with the Hīnayāna precepts in order to be recognized by the government as qualified monks. Saichō opposed this, advocating instead the Mahāyāna precepts based on the Bon-mō-kyō (No. 46). The present work represents the three petitions made by Saichō to the throne for imperial sanction of the Mahāyāna precepts.

秘蔵宝鑰/祕藏寶鑰 （Hi-zō-hō-yaku）

Composed by Kūkai 空海
(Taishō No. 2426)
Eng.: The Precious Key to the Secret Treasury
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 28 “SHINGON TEXTS”)
In the Early Heian Period (830) Emperor Junna ordered the representatives of each school of Buddhism to submit a treatise summarizing the doctrines of their respective schools. The six treatises presented on this occasion included the bulky Jū-jū-shin-ron (“Treatise on the Ten Stages of the Mind”; Taishō No. 2425) of ten fascicles by the present author, outlining the doctrines of the Shingon School. However, this work proved to be too voluminous in comparison with the works presented by the other schools, and Kūkai was requested to submit a simplified version. The result was this “Precious Key to the Secret Treasury.”
Kūkai’s method in clarifying the position of the Shingon School was to formulate a system of critical categorization made up of ‘ten stages of the mind,’ embracing not only the various schools of Buddhism but also the religions of India and China; the Shingon School is ranked as the highest stage of all. It should be noted that the “Treatise on the Ten Stages of the Mind” is also known as the “Expanded Treatise”; in contrast, the present work is referred to as the “Condensed Treatise.”

弁顕密二教論/辨顯密二敎論 （Ben-ken-mitsu-ni-kyō-ron）

Composed by Kūkai 空海
(Taishō No. 2427)
Eng.: On the Differences between the Exoteric and Esoteric Teachings
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 28 “SHINGON TEXTS”)
This “Treatise on the Differences between the Two Teachings of Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism,” also known simply as Ni-kyō-ron (“Treatise on the Two Teachings”), sets forth, as is implied by the title, a comparative study of the qualitative differences between the two branches of Buddhism, ‘Exoteric Buddhism’ and ‘Esoteric Buddhism’; Kūkai concludes that Esoteric Buddhism be the supreme teaching.
The points discussed in this work are: the buddhas said to have revealed the two teachings, the contents of the teachings, the period of time necessary for attaining Buddhahood, and the benefits deriving from the two teachings. With the help of quotations from many scriptures, Kūkai demonstrates that Esoteric Buddhism be superior to Exoteric Buddhism in regard to all of the above points.

即身成仏義/卽身成佛義 （Soku-shin-jō-butsu-gi）

Composed by Kūkai 空海
(Taishō No. 2428)
Eng.: The Meaning of Becoming a Buddha in This Very Body
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 28 “SHINGON TEXTS”)
In the Buddhism practiced in Japan prior to the time of Kūkai it had been maintained that it was possible to become a buddha only after spending an enormously long period of time repeating the cycle of birth and death; this was known as san-kō-jō-butsu (‘becoming a buddha in three kalpas’) or ryaku-kō-jō-butsu (‘becoming a buddha after passing through countless kalpas’). In the present work Kūkai expounds the idea that it is possible to become a buddha in this very body (soku-shin-jō-butsu). This work is thus an elucidation from the standpoint of the Shingon School of the theory and practice leading to this ‘attainment of Buddhahood in this very body.’
When one considers the influence this treatise had on later Japanese Buddhism, it is valid to say it is philosophically an extremely important work.

声字実相義/聲字實相義 （Shō-ji-jis-sō-gi）

Composed by Kūkai 空海
(Taishō No. 2429)
Eng.: The Meanings of Sound, Sign, and Reality
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 28 “SHINGON TEXTS”)
Within the doctrine of the Shingon School there is the theory that the activities of body, speech and mind are essentially of the same nature as the corresponding activities of a buddha. These three forms of activity are thus referred to as the ‘secret of body,’ ‘secret of speech’ and ‘secret of mind,’ and are known collectively as the ‘three secrets.’ The present work, “The Meanings of Sound, Word and Reality,” deals with the ‘secret of speech.’
Quoting from the Mahāvairocana-sūtra (No. 39), Kūkai states that ‘sound’ and ‘word’ are in essence manifestations of the virtues of Mahāvairocana, the embodiment of truth itself, and that therefore mantras (Jpn.: shingon) are actually manifestations of truth. The name Shingon School derives in fact from this view that the word is truth itself.

EXTRACANONICAL WORK

八宗綱要 （Has-shū-kō-yō）

Composed by Gyōnen 凝然
Extracanonical work
Eng.: The Essentials of the Eight Traditions
(In BDK English Tripiṭaka 5 “THE ESSENTIALS OF THE EIGHT TRADITIONS/ THE CANDLE OF THE LATTER DHARMA”)
This “Essentials of the Eight Traditions” gives a concise account of the history and doctrines of the eight principal Buddhist schools in existence in Japan at the time of the author, i.e. the six schools which were introduced to Japan during the Nara Period and the two schools introduced by Saichō and Kūkai during the Heian Period. This work may thus be described as an introduction to Japanese Buddhism. Fascicle 1 contains a preface and accounts of the Kusha, Jōjitsu, and Ritsu Schools, and Fascicle 2 deals with the Hossō, Sanron, Tendai, Kegon, and Shingon Schools, followed by brief comments on the Zen and Pure Land Schools.
The work takes the format of questions and answers, discussing such subjects as the name, basic scriptures, lines of transmission, and doctrines of each school. Since a brief history of the transmission of Buddhism from India via China to Japan is also included, it serves in fact as a very handy exposition of Japanese Buddhism.