The name
sutra (Sanskrit for "thread") in Buddhism originally was given only to the sermons of the historical Buddha, as recognized by the First Buddhist Council (ca. 460 BCE). The works listed below probably were written between 100 BCE and 500 CE. The authors are unknown. Whatever their origin, they are considered to be sutras by
Mahayana Buddhism.
The Brahma Net is a discourse on discipline and morality. In particular, it contains the
Ten Grand Precepts. This Brahmajala Sutra should not be confused with the Brahmajala Sutta of the
Tripitaka.
The Flower Garland (Avatamsaka or Buddhavatamsaka) Sutra
The Flower Garland Sutra, sometimes called the Flower Ornament Sutra, is a collection of smaller sutras that emphasize the interpenetration of all things. That is, all things and all beings not only reflect all other things and beings but also the Absolute in its totality. The Flower Garland is particularly important to the Hua-yen (Kegon) and Ch'an (Zen) schools.
Also called "The Sutra of the Heroic One," the Shurangama (also spelled Suramgama or Surangama) stresses the importance of
samadhi to the realization of enlightenment. The sutra also describes 25 gates to realization of one's true nature.
The Jewel Heap (Ratnakuta) Sutra
One of the oldest of the Mahayana Sutras, the Jewel Heap discusses the Middle Way. It provided a basis for the
Madhyamaka teachings of
Nagarjuna.
Lankavatara means "entering into
Sri Lanka." This sutra describes the Buddha answering questions at an assembly. He expounds upon the "
mind only" doctrine, which teaches that individual things exist only as processes of knowing. Put another way, our minds perceive reality in terms of an observer (us) and distinctive things observed. But the sutra says that distinctive things have no identity outside of this perception.
This sutra also says that words are not necessary for the transmission of the dharma, a teaching particularly important to the Ch'an (Zen) school.
The Lotus Sutra is one of the most well-known and venerated of the Mahayana Sutras. It is particularly important to the T'ien-t'ai (Tendai) and Nichiren schools, but it is revered by several other schools of Mahayana.
The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra is a collection of sutras said to have been delivered by the Buddha the night before his death. The sutras are primarily about the doctrine of Buddha-nature. The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra should not be confused with the Mahaparinibanna-sutra of the Pali Canon.
The Perfection of Wisdom (Prajnaparamita) Sutra
The Perfection of Wisdom Sutra is a vast collection of about 40 sutras. Of these, the best known in the West are the
Heart Sutra (
Mahaprajnaparamita-hridaya-sutra) and the
Diamond (or Diamond Cutter) Sutra (
Vajracchedika-sutra). These two brief texts are among the most important of the Mahayana sutras, especially in the Ch'an (Zen) school. They point in particular to the doctrine of
shunyata ("emptiness").
The Pure Land Sutras
Three sutras--the Amitabha; the Amitayurdhyana, also called the Sutra of Infinite Life; and the Aparimitayur -- provide the doctrinal basis of the Pure Land school. The Amitabha and Aparimitayur are sometimes also called the shorter and longer Sukhavati-vyuha or Sukhavati Sutras.
Very briefly, The Amitabha Sutra describes the practice of reciting the name of Amitabha Buddha. The Amitayurdhyana describes rebirth in the Pure Land; and the Aparimitayur tells the story of .
In this sutra, the layman Vimalakirti expounds upon nonduality to a host of high-ranking bodhisattvas. Vimalakirti exemplifies the bodhisattva ideal and reveals that enlightenment is available to anyone, layperson or monastic.
For more on this beloved sutra, see Dharma talks by John Daido Loori and Liu King-pong.
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