The Great Prajna Paramita Sutra

The Buddha taught this sutra in sixteen assemblies over twenty-two years in four locations: Mount Vulture Peak near Rajagrha (or Rajagriha), Anathapindika Jet Grove in Shravasti, the palace of the Heaven of Enjoying Other-Made Changes (Paranirmitavasavartin), and Bamboo Garden near Rajagrha. The Buddha’s teachings of prajna paramita were recorded posthumously by his disciples in six hundred fascicles of approximately five million words and is regarded as the largest Buddhist canon ever published. This sutra depicts, manifests, and provides guidance on how one should learn to become a bodhisattva—and eventually a Buddha—transcending self-interest to reach a state of emptiness, selflessness, and nonattainment. The Chinese version was rendered from Sanskrit about 1,360 years ago (from 660 through 663 CE) by Xuanzang (Hsüan-tsang, c. 602–664 CE), from which the present English translation is made.

The texts from Fascicles 1 through 400, known as Larger Prajna, are divided into 79 chapters and include the teachings given by the Buddha during the first assembly.

Fascicles 401 to 487, called Medium Prajna, contain Buddha’s teachings from the second assembly. In Xuanzang’s rendition, dialogues from this assembly are found in 85 chapters across 78 fascicles (401 to 478) out of 600, equating to 25,000 Sanskrit verses. An earlier Chinese translation by Kumarajiva (344-413 CE), made between 660 and 663 CE, includes these teachings in 90 chapters across 27 fascicles titled Mahaprajna Paramita Sutra.

Fascicles 488 through 537, also named Medium Prajna, contain the Buddha’s teachings during the third assembly, equivalent to 18,000 Sanskrit version. Fascicle 577, named Diamond Prajna, regarded as the prototype of the well-known Diamond Sutra, covers the Buddha’s teachings in the ninth assembly.

Author Bio:

Naichen Chen (1941–) earned a PhD in philosophy of education at the University of Florida, USA. He has served as a professor of philosophy, Buddhism, and education at universities in Taiwan and the United States. He also has served as the president of National Hua Lien Teachers College in Taiwan and the University of the West (formerly Hsi Lai University) in Los Angeles, California. He has authored essays and books on education, religion, and philosophy in both Chinese and English.