Avatamsaka Sutra
The Avatamsaka Sutra ( skt. Avataṃsaka-sūtra ; Chinese 華嚴 經 / 华严 经 , Pinyin Huayanjing , W.-G. Hua-yen ching - " Flower Garland Sutra"; hgl. 화엄경, Hwaeom gyeong ; Japanese 華 厳 経 , Kegon kyō ; Viet. Hoa Nghiêm kinh ; tib. : Mdo phal che po ), in the German as Hua yen Sutra or Kegon Sutra referred to is one of the most extensive Buddhist Mahayana Sutras .
It was originally written in Sanskrit . The three Chinese translations in particular had an influence on East Asian Buddhism .
The Avatamsaka Sutra forms the basis for the Chinese Huayan zong , had great influence in China and later also came to Japan ( Kegon-shū ) and Korea ( Hwaeom jong ).
Emergence
Today only two parts of the original Sanskrit Avatamsaka Sutra are preserved. The text on "10 Steps" and the "Book of Entering the Cosmos of Truth", which was also known as a separate sutra under the name of the Gandavyuha Sutra.
The part "10 steps" (Dasabhumika) already existed as a sutra in India. It is believed to come from the Lokattaravadin school. The text already contains central statements of the Avatamsaka Sutra about the path of the Bodhisattva and about the view that the world is only spirit. There is therefore reason to believe that this text was an important inspiration for the further parts and the entire work of the Avatamsaka Sutra. Dasabhumika is a script that is also recognized by the Theravada tradition.
The other part that is preserved in Sanskrit is the last book of the Avatamsaka Sutra, the "Book of Entering the Cosmos of Truth". This very extensive sutra was probably written in the 2nd century AD and describes the journey of the boy Sudhana on the path to enlightenment. He meets 53 different teachers before he finally completes his path to becoming a Bodhisattva.
All other parts - with the exception of a passage in the Siksasamuccaya - are not mentioned in Indian literature. This fact, as well as the use of some Central Asian and Chinese place names in the Chinese translation, suggest that large parts of the sutra originated outside India.
The complete form of the Avatamsaka Sutra is believed to have been written by one or more authors in Central Asia - possibly in the Khotan region. In the process, various existing sutras were probably merged and some were rewritten to fill in gaps.
This complete work was first translated into Chinese by Buddhabhadra in 60 volumes between 418 and 420 . Another translation was carried out by Siksananda between 695 and 699. The Quest of Sudhana, the last book - the Gandavyuha - was translated again separately into 40 volumes (795-798). All three versions have been preserved and were later translated into Korean and Japanese. The Chinese translation is known as the Hua Yen Sutra, the Korean version as Hwa Om, and the Japanese version as the Kegon Sutra. The last chapter of the translation into 80 volumes also corresponds to the fourth sutra of the Reine Land School . The Tibetan Avatamsaka Sutra consists of 45 chapters and was translated from Sanskrit into Tibetan.
content
Due to the large scope of the Avatamsaka Sutra, only individual subject areas can be picked out and briefly outlined here.
General
The Avatamsaka Sutra describes eight different assemblies of bodhisattvas. The first meeting takes place shortly after the enlightenment of the Buddha, who sits under the wisdom tree. However, the speaker at this gathering is not the Buddha himself, but the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (the Bodhisattva of perfect action). The Buddha himself does not speak at the rest of the meetings either, but remains in silence.
All in one - one in all
In the Avatamsaka Sutra it says: The Buddhas recognize with their wisdom that the whole cosmos of beings without exception is like the great "network in the Indra palace", so that all beings like the precious stones at every node of the "Indra network" among each other infinitely and inexhaustibly mirror their images and the images of the images etc. in themselves. (Book 28, The Book of the Wonderfulness of Buddha)
This principle expresses the view of Buddhist holism . Every object and every living being does not exist in isolation, but is connected to all others and is itself contained in every other part. Everything is mutually permeated. The short form of this principle is: all in one - one in all.
The Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh coined the term "interbeing" for this mutual penetration.
Vairocana
The Buddha Vairocana is a central symbol of the Avatamsaka Sutra. He symbolizes the Dharmakaya . The Vairocana no longer has any attributes, it is the embodiment of the universal law of nature. Thus it shines through the entire universe in all times and everything is permeated by it. Since it has no body in the actual sense, it is not directly depicted by Buddha Vairocana statues, but only symbolized.
The primordial Buddha Vairocana is also depicted with a mudra , which expresses the principle "all in one - one in all". The two index fingers are stretched straight away from the folded hands. In another form, the index finger of one hand is enclosed by all fingers of the other hand. Another interpretation of this mudra is that the bodhisattva (lower hand) carries the sentient beings (upper hand).
The Bodhisattva Way
The last book of the Avatamsaka Sutra describes the path of the Bodhisattva based on the boy Sudhana. The starting point of the journey is the first teacher - the Bodhisattva Manjusri , who encourages Sudhana to advance on his path and to entrust himself to various teachers. In this way he meets a total of 53 different teachers. These include very different people such as B. priests, doctors, women, a boatman, gods and even a false teacher. From all these teachers Sudhana can learn what is necessary for him to reach the next level on his path to becoming a Bodhisattva. Every teacher recommends the next destination of his journey to the boy Sudhana. His journey takes him further and further south. This can be seen as a metaphor for turning to light, i.e. to truth. Another interpretation is that the journey to the south also symbolizes the development of Buddhism within India (the first great philosopher of the "Great Vehicle" was Nagarjuna , who was born in southern India).
Seen in this way, the 53 teachers of Sudhana can also be understood as the steps on the path of the Bodhisattva. His last teacher is the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra , with whom he finally completes his path. In the Avatamsaka Sutra it says: He looked at living beings with the pure eye of wisdom and lived quietly in silent emptiness. He comprehended everything that existed in detail and plunged into the deep sea of the great virtue of Buddha. He completed the path of redemption [...] (Book 34, Entering the Cosmos of Truth)
The journey of the boy Sudhana is depicted in numerous reliefs in the Buddhist temple complex Borobudur in Indonesia.
The one vehicle
The Avatamsaka Sutra was created at a time when there were already various Buddhist teachings and schools. In the Avatamsaka Sutra, these different perspectives were combined into a complete work with a superordinate system. The sutra thus emphasizes the aspect of the entirety of the Dharma and understands the different teachings and schools as different paths to the same goal. Hence the term “the one vehicle” ( Ekayana ) was coined. Not a certain tradition, a certain school or teacher alone lead to the goal, but they are ultimately parts of the Dharma with the same goal - Buddhahood. This means that these different routes are part of a single vehicle. One vehicle is called i-ch'eng ( Sanskrit : eka-yana, German: The One Vehicle) in the Hua-Yen School .
Dharma Dhatu
The theory of the universal cause (Dharma-Dhatu-Pratitya-Samutpada) is the core of the Avatamsaka Sutra. This theory assumes the perfect harmony and interdependence of the material and the immaterial world. Spirit and matter are one and are dependent on one another in infinite mutual dependence. The symbol of this universe is the Vairocana Buddha . This reality of the undivided universe is called Bhutatathata and is divided into four levels:
- Dharma-Dhatu of the phenomenal world : our world, the phenomena of which arise and cease to be interdependent ( samsara ).
- Dharma-Dhatu of the ruling principle : the world in which there is no distinction and therefore no longer arises or disappears. This is the world of consciousness that has no attachment to the material or immaterial world. This is the world of the Madhyama Shunyata: the world of absolute equality.
- Dharma-Dhatu of the unhindered phenomenal world : worlds of discernment and worlds of non-discernment still depend on cause and effect. They are constantly changing and moving, but are only phenomena of nature. This is called Tathagata-Garba, the world without obstacles.
- Dharma-dhatu of the unimpeded ruling principle : the pure body of the universe has no form and no limits and no individual consciousness. It permeates everything, every condition and every form. Therefore every aspect in our universe is nothing but an undivided entity. Everything is in one, one is in all . This is the world of the Avatamsaka Sutra, in which there is complete equality and indifference.
Schools and Patriarchs
The translations of the Avatamsaka Sutra have been studied and interpreted by various masters in China. An independent school was only formed with Dushun (chin. 杜 順, 557–640). He is considered the first patriarch of the Hua Yen School. His successor was Zhiyan (chin. 智 儼, 602–668). The third patriarch was Fazang (Chin. 法 藏, 643-712). He was a student of Xuanzang and is considered the most important scholar of the Hua Yen philosophy. After his death, the monk Huiyuan was considered the greatest scholar of the Hua Yen School. However, he was not recognized as a patriarch. This title was only given to Chengguan (chin. 澄觀, 737–838), who was born 26 years after Fazang's death. The fifth patriarch was Zongmi (chin .: 宗密, 780-841), who was also a master of the Zen or Chan school.
The decline of Buddhism began with the reign of the Chinese emperor Wu Zong (Chinese 武宗, reign 841-847). Monasteries were destroyed and writings burned. Monks and nuns were forced to take off their robes. This also meant the decline of the Hua Yen school. Only schools that did not need a written basis could survive this time - the best known are the Reine-Land-Schule and Chan ( Zen ). From this time on, the Avatamsaka Sutra only played a subordinate role, it inspired other schools, but could no longer establish itself as a major school in China.
In the middle Nara period (710-781) the Hua Yen school came to Japan where it was called Kegon . Their second patriarch was Rōben. It is closely related to ritsuryō Buddhism and the centralization and organization of Buddhism in Japan . The main temple of the Kegon School in Japan is Tōdai-ji , which Emperor Shōmu had built as the central authority of the provincial temples and the six schools of Nara. There is also the world's largest bronze Buddha statue (Buddha Vairocana). After the end of the Nara period, Kegon was unable to prevail against the Tendai and Shingon schools. Nevertheless, the Kegon School has remained alive to this day.
The Avatamsaka Sutra was brought to Korea by Uisang (Chinese: 義 湘, 625-702), who was a student of Zhiyan together with Fazang. The Hwa-Om School was established in Korea as a result and became the most important Buddhist school in Korea. From the 8th century onwards, Zen gradually became better known and more important. The Hwa Om school was integrated by Zen ( Kor. Seon). The Avatamsaka Sutra still plays a major role within Seon today.
Translations and comments
The full title of the Avatamsaka Sutra in the Chinese translations is: Chinese 大方 廣佛 華嚴 經 , Pinyin Dàfāngguǎngfó huáyán jīng , W.-G. Ta-fang-kuang fo-hua-yen ching ; Japanese: Daihōkō butsukegon-kyō .
It was first translated by the Indian monk Buddhabhadra (359-429 in China from 406; W.-G .: Fo-t'o-pa-t'o-lo ; jp .: Butsudabatsudara) and a. in Ch'ang-an between 418 and 420, 34 chapters in 60 chüan (i.e. fascicles , or books). Known as "the old translation" ( 舊 經 ) or "60 chüan Hua-yen" or 晉 經 , jiùjīng jp .: Jin -Sūtra [Taishō (Sino-Japanese Taishō shinshū daizōkyō ) IX, no. 278]. This is the version studied by the first three patriarchs of the Huayan zong .
The Empress Wu Zetian , a follower and patroness of the 3rd Patriarch Fazang , arranged for a complete text of the Buddhāvataṃsaka-mahāvaipulya Sutra to be obtained from Khotan . The “new” translation (also 唐 經) was done by the monk Śikṣānanda (652-710; 實 叉 難陀 , Shih-ch'a-nan-to ; jp .: Jisshananda) who came from there between 695 and 699 in Ch'ang -an in 80 fascicles [NJ (No. Sino-Japanese Nanjio -Canon catalog) 88; Taishō X, No. 279]. The Empress wrote a foreword, the content of which does not differ from the “old translation”, but some chapters have been significantly expanded. Yep Nara period - transcripts of the long text: Tempyō 10th year, 70 fasc. [NJ 88], as "Kegon" Sutra 60 fasc. From the same year. Partly also referred to as Hōkō-kyō .
Extensive comments exist u. a. by Fazang (Fa-tsang), who wrote four of them (NJ 1591-93, and 1595). From the fourth patriarch ( 澄 観 , Chengguan , Japanese: Chokan; † around 800 or 839) come NJ 1589 and 1590 in 60 and 90 fascias, further NJ 1598 and 1639. His successor Tsung-mih (779-840; 淸 涼澄觀 ), the "great teacher of the Kwei", published NJ 1596 that the sect founder Fa-shun (= Dushun) was written. Under the Mongolian Yuan dynasty (1280–1368), P'u-shui created another 40 fascination commentary (NJ 1622).
Ta-fang-kuang fo-hua-yen ching: Ju pu-ssu-i chieh-t'o ching-chieh; P'u-hsien hsing-yüan p'in大方 廣佛 華嚴 經: 入 不 思議 解脫 境界; 普賢 行 願 品, in 40 fascias. [Taishō No. 293 (Vol.X, 661-851c)], the full Chinese title of the Sanskrit text Gandavyūha-sūtra , is often used in older literature for a third complete translation of the Avatamsaka because of its similarity of names ("40 chüan Hua-yen" or similar) -Text on which the above two are based, kept. In fact - and this is clear from the full title - it is an extension of the chapters on the pilgrimage of the young man Sudhana and two chapters on the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra (jp .: fugues). The translation was done by the Kashmiri monk Prajña (ch. Pore 般若; jp .: Hannya) 796-8 in Ch'ang-an. Suzuki Daisetz translated parts of it into English in his essays in Zen Buddhism .
swell
- ^ Cousin, Tilman. The Bodhisattva Path in the Gandavyuhasutra ( Memento from November 11, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), Numata Center for Buddhist Studies University Hamburg, p. 63.
- ↑ Torakuzo Doi: "The Kegon Sutra"; Chapter 1: History, page 21; Tokyo 1976.
literature
- Torakazu Doi: Kegon Sutra. The Flower Garland Sutra. Volume I. Angkor Verlag, Frankfurt 2008; ISBN 978-3-936018-32-5 .
- Torakazu Doi: Kegon Sutra. The Flower Garland Sutra. Volume II. Angkor Verlag, Frankfurt 2008; ISBN 978-3-936018-33-2 .
- Cheng Chien: Everything is pure spirit ; OW Barth Verlag, Munich, 1997. German translation of the Avatamsaka Sutra; ISBN 978-3-502-65034-8
- Cleary, Thomas: The Flower Ornament Scripture , Boulder & London: Shambala, 1993. Engl. ISBN 0-87773-940-4
- Garma CC Chang: The Buddhist doctrine of the wholeness of being. The holistic worldview of Buddhist philosophy ; OW Barth Verlag, Munich 1989; ISBN 3-502-65099-3
- Francis H. Cook: Hua-yen Buddhism, The Jewel Net of Indra ; ISBN 0-271-02190-X