THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE

The Mahayana or The Great vehicle is one of the two major divisions of Buddhism, the other being Theravada or the Hinayana or "small vehicle". Mahayana Buddhism is based on sophisticated metaphysical speculations regarding the nature of Reality

(shunyata), or Enlightenment (sambodhi, prajna) and of the Buddha (Trikaya). This conception, central to Mahayana school, developed from the original idea of one who defers the "ultimate goal" of nirvana (extinction) in order to return to the world of suffering again & again for the sake of sentient beings. Mahayana Buddhism spread northeast from India into China (1st century A.D.), and from there into Tibet and Korea, and from Korea into Japan. At the heart of Mahayana Buddhism is the noble Bodhisattva Ideal. A bodhisattva is a being who searches for the attainment of the Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Different opinions do surface like that of Monier Monier-Williams, a well- known authority on Sanskrit literature thinks, for instance,

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

that the principal feature of Mahayanism consists merely in amplifying the number of Bodhisattvas, who are contented, according to his view, with their perpetual residence in the heavens, and quite willing to put off all desires for Buddhahood and Parinirvana.(Buddhism; Monier Williams, pg. 191). However Suzuki has rightly pointed out that this remark is so absurd that it will at once be rejected by any one who has first-hand knowledge of the Mahayana system, as even unworthy of refutation, since always working for the welfare of their fellow-creatures, the Bodhisattvas never desire any earthly or heavenly happiness for themselves. Whatever merits, according to the law of karma, there be stored up for their good work, they do not have any wish to enjoy them by themselves, but they will have all these merits turned over(parivarta) to the interests of their fellow-beings. This is the ideal of Bodhisattvas, i.e., of the followers of Mahayanism.
(Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism; D.T.Suzuki;Pg.18;1907)

Buddhist Sanskrit Language: Buddhist Sanskrit is not a hybrid language, although its words are often not homogenous. The overall pattern or structure of the language is an old Indo Aryan language that was much akin to

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

Sanskrit but unlike it, there was no rigid control of grammar. It was a free kind of language that was used by ordinary men, not aspiring for brahmanical scholarship or veneration. It was what may be called spoken Sanskrit. Buddhist Sanskrit was not an artificially made up language fashioned by fusing Sanskrit and Prakrit. Since it was a spoken language, the nature was unstable literary language. As regards to vocabulary there is no language which is not more or less heterodox. There is bound to be some borrowed element and Buddhist Sanskrit borrowed heavily from contemporary influential languages Sanskrit and Prakrit.

(Dr.Sukumar Sen, Buddhist Sanskrit: Journal of Tibetology; 1997, No.2, Pg.77-80)

History of Buddhist Sanskrit Literature: The term Mahayana was invented in the times of Nagarjuna and Aryadeva (about the third or fourth century after Christ), when doctrinal struggles between the Charvaka and the Bodhisattva classes reached a climax. We have come to know through our understanding of Buddhist history that an enormous amount of Buddhist literature was

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

created

in

Sanskrit,

beginning

right

after

the

Buddhas Mahaparinirvana, continuing up to the 12th century AD in India. Out of this vast literature, comprising several thousand texts, only a portion was translated into Tibetan between the 7th and 15th centuries and into Chinese between the 2nd and 11th centuries. Unfortunately, with the passage of time, the great treasure of Buddhist literature in Sanskrit was lost or destroyed due to various developments over the course of history. Prof. Jaydev Singh writes in Introduction to Madhyamika

Philosophy ..Books on Mahayana Buddhism were completely lost in India. Their translations existed in Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan. Mahayana literature was written mostly in Sanskrit and mixed Sanskrit. Scholars who have made a study of Buddhism hardly suspected that there were also books on Buddhism in Sanskrit. As it was the contribution of Sri Lanka to have preserved for humankind the entire mass of the Pali literature of Theravada Buddhism, which went also to Burma, Cambodia, and Siam, similarly the great achievement of the people of Nepal too have

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

preserved

the

equally

valuable

original

Sanskrit

texts

of

Mahayana Buddhism. On this note, Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji clearly notes in the Introduction to Madhyamika Philosophy that, One great service the people of Nepal did, particularly the highly civilized Newars of the Nepal Valley, was to preserve the manuscripts of Mahayana Buddhist literature in Sanskrit. The special, characteristic peculiarity of Newar Buddhism is that its ritual and its sacred literature are written in the Sanskrit language, because of which we can call Newar Buddhism the only surviving form of Sanskrit Buddhism. With the collapse of Buddhism in India, some Buddhists escaped from suppression and fled to Nepal. The Newars of the Kathmandu Valley accepted them and their religious and cultural inheritance. The two groups intermarried and their religions and cultures merged to become Newar Buddhism. This happened during a period from the 9th to the 13th century A.D. The Newars have continued to copy Sanskrit manuscripts up to the present day. All Buddhists owe a

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

debt to the Newars, through whose efforts we have been able to study these Sanskrit manuscripts in the present day. Literary Form of Buddhist Sanskrit Texts: The most authoritative of the books of the Buddhists now extant in Nepal is the sacred language of India, as subsequently to be enumerated, are known, collectively, and individually, by the names of Sutra and Dharma. In a work called the Puja Khand there is the following passage: "All that the Buddhas have said, as contained in the Mahayana Sutra, and the rest of the Sutras, is Dharma Ratna or precious science. Hence the Scriptures are also frequently called "Buddha Vachana," the words of Buddha who first gave definite form and systematic force to these words. The nine Dharmas are as follows: 1. Ashtasahasrika 2. Gandavyuha 3. Dasabhumeswara 6. Saddharmapundarika

4. Samadhiraja 5.Lankavatara 7. Tathagata Guhyaka 8. Lalitavistara

9. Suvarnaprabhasa.

All old Buddhist works are written in one of the three scripts usually in Ranjana and Bhaujimola and on Palmira leaves. The

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

Buddhist scripture's are with reference chiefly to their form and style, frequently stated to be of twelve kinds as follows: 1.Sutras Nidana 2. Geya 3. Vyakarana 4. Gatha 5. Udana 6. 10.

7. Itivuttka 8. Jataka 11. Avadana

9. Vaipulya

Adbhutadharma

12. Upadesa.

Sutras are the principal scriptures like Prajna Paramita. Geya are narrative works, such as those containing histories of the several births of the Buddha prior to his attaining Nirvana and sundry actions of others who by their lives and opinions have illustrated this religion, with various forms of prayer and of praise.

Vyakarana, in the sense of narration, is opposed generally to works of philosophy or speculation, such as the Prajna Paramita. It also characterizes works of an exoteric kind, as opposed to the Upadesa or Tantras.

The Lalitavistara is a Vyakarana of the sort called Gatha. Udana describes the nature of the Buddhas, in the form of a dialogue between a Buddhist adept and novice.

Nidana are treatises, in which the causes of events are shown; as for example, how did Sakya become a Buddha?

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

the reason or cause of how he fulfilled the Dana and other Paramitas.

Itvuttaka is the explanation and reference of some prior discourse.

Jataka treats us with the illustrations of the 550 births of Sakya.

Vaipulya explains several sorts of Dharnia (means the world to come) and Artha (several means of acquiring the goods of this world).

Adbhutdharma explains super natural events. Avadana is the fruits of actions or moral law of mundane existence.

Upadesa is the esoteric doctrines, and are equivalent to Tantra, the rites and ceremonies.

Apart from the 9 dharmas noted above, following are some of the Buddhist Sanskrit texts which are not yet studied well: Dharinis: The Dharinis are the least explored branch of Buddhist Sanskrit literature in the Nepals Buddhist world. Nepalese Manuscript collection is the sort of work called Dharinis and strotra which have paramount importance for not only in Nepal

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

but for all believers in Mahayana Buddhism. The recitation of these Dharinis and strotras is believed to bring into great merit and they are used to be worn as amulet to avert evils including thieves, fire noxious animal, to ensure long life quake etc. The bhikhus and people in those days were much prone to these fears and compassionate Bodhisattvas wanted ready means of getting rid of them. It is believed that the Buddha gave sermons on these Dharinis according to the request of Bodhisattvas. For example: Aparimitayur Dharini is a good example for its efficacy in acquiring the longevity of life. It is said that great philosopher Nagarjuna had benefitted from this Dharini to save himself from his early death. These Dharinis were used as an antidote to these fears. Strotras: In prosperity or distress, the Nepalese people worship and pray to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas for protection, good health, prosperity, family welfare and also for liberation from cyclic existence. These are called as hymns or strotras Caryagitas: Caryagita is the song or hymn used to sung in Tantric ceremonies. Most of the authors of these songs or dohas were the Mahasiddhas of India and Nepal. Dohakosha of

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

Mahasiddha Sarahapada is the most famous one. In Newar Buddhism, these tantric songs are still sung by Buddhist Vajracharyas in special ceremonies like Ordination ceremony. Style of Buddhist Sanskrit Literature: When dealing with Buddhist literature, particularly the sutras of Mahayana and the Pradnyaparamita texts, one comes across with a great number of repetitions of phrases, as well as with a certain hyperbolism. J.K.Nariman in Literary History of Sanskrit

Buddhism points out that The senseless customs of embodying constant repetitions which we find so annoying in the Pali suttas becomes in the voluminous Pradnyparamitas so limitless and excessive that it would be quite possible to strike out more than half of these colossal works like the Satasahasrika for the same sentences and phrases recur times without number (Nariman J K:
Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism; 1919, pg.96).

On the other hand, while judging the stylistic value of ancient Buddhist prose, Oldenberg feels that a certain oriental - monkish tranquility would express itself in the repetitious style since the authors of this prose had not yet developed the ability to compose a literature characterized by fresh and colorful

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

movements of the narration. (Some Remarks on the Style of some

Buddhist Sanskrit Texts - Peter Kwella).

The Gandavyuha is a literary masterpiece, the most readable of all the Mahayana sutras and almost the only one organized as a balanced work of art on an effective plan. The progressive plan leads the reader on, whilst the formidable prose style is impressively in keeping with the outlook embracing the whole universe and its inconceivable nature. The elaborate descriptions and wealth of similes and figurative language generally mark this as a work of art. This last chapter of the Avatamsaka - the Gaavyha Sutra, details the pilgrimage of the youth Sudhana at the behest of the Bodhisattva Manjusri. Sudhana would converse with 52 masters in his quest for enlightenment. The antepenultimate master of Sudhana's

pilgrimage is Maitreya. It is here that Sudhana encounters the Tower of Maitreya, which along with Indra's net, is a most startling metaphor for the infinite: In the middle of the great tower... he saw the billion-world universe... and everywhere there was Sudhana at his feet... Thus

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

Sudhana saw Maitreya's practices of... transcendence over countless eons (kalpa), from each of the squares of the check board wall... In the same way Sudhana... saw the whole supernal manifestation, was perfectly aware of it, understood it,

contemplated it, used it as a means, beheld it, and saw himself there. (Cleary Thomas: The Flower Ornament Scripture 3, Entry into
the Realm of Reality, Shambhala, 1987, p. 369)

The penultimate master that Sudhana visits is the Manjusri Bodhisattva, the bodhisattva of great wisdom. Thus, one of the grandest of pilgrimages approaches its conclusion by revisiting where it began. The Gandavyhua suggests that with a subtle shift of perspective we may come to see that the enlightenment that the pilgrim so fervently sought was not only with him at every stage of his journey, but before it began as wellthat

enlightenment is not something to be gained, but "something" the pilgrim never departed from. The final master that Sudhana visits is Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, who teaches him that wisdom only exists for the sake of putting it into practice; that it is only good insofar as it benefits all living beings.

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

The description of palatial structures and human bodies are commonly used in this scripture as metaphor for the cosmos, with reality divided into a mundane or immanent realm, the various lokadhtus, and spiritualized realm, the dharmadhtu. In the same way, society is distinguishable into mundane society and the spiritual society of good friends or kalyamitras. The sutras conception of an individual parallels with society and reality in such a way that the individual possesses both a physical body (rpakya) and a transcendent body (dharmakya). The hyperbole seen in Buddhist Sanskrit texts like There lives a Buddha forty hundred thousand myriads of ten million eons, as many as there are grains of sand in the river Ganges and similar cases are meant to bring about an actual change of

consciousness concerning the category of time. This would be purposely done so that the monk who studies these texts has a mental image of these pictures. The more concentrated he keeps these pictures in front of his inner eye, the stronger they will be imprinted. The repetitions which are seen for innumerable times are necessary to dominate the old samskaras by new ones and gradually reduced so that they finally disappear.

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

Conclusion: This Himalayan Kingdom not only played an important role in the expansion of Buddhism but also in the preservation of various ancient Buddhist traditions and texts. Mahyna / Vajrayna texts preserved in Nepalmany of which are available no where else in the worldare of immense significance to the study and development of Buddhism. Whoever desires to be acquainted with the Mahayana Buddhism with all its distinguishing features, with all its excellencies and shortcomings, may be recommended a study of these texts. We can now form a somewhat definite notion as to what the Mahayana Buddhism is. It is the Buddhism which, inspired by a progressive spirit, broadened its original scope, so far as it did not contradict the inner significance of the teachings of the Buddha, and which assimilated other religiophilosophical beliefs within itself, whenever it felt that, by so doing, people of more widely different characters and intellectual endowments could be saved. Here very little remains of Shakyamuni as a man. The Buddha is properly speaking now higher than a god, above all the divinities, an immeasurably exalted Being, who has lived since countless aeons and who will

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR

live for all eternity. It is only because of his compassion for all creatures, his regard for the infirmities of human understanding that he pretends to have entered Nirvana. In the cult and in the art of the Buddhist the Bodhisattva Manjushri occupies a distinguished position along with

Avalokiteshvara. In the Gandavyuha, Manjushri is glorified as the only one who can help the aspirant to perfect enlightenment.

References:
1. Buddhism; Monier Williams, pg. 191 2. Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism; D.T.Suzuki;Pg.18;1907 3. Dr.Sukumar Sen, Buddhist Sanskrit: Journal of Tibetology; 1997, No.2, Pg.77-80 4. Nariman J K: Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism; 1919, pg.96 5. Some Remarks on the Style of some Sanskrit Buddhist Texts- Peter Kwella
6. Cleary Thomas: The Flower Ornament Scripture 3, Entry into the Realm

of Reality, Shambhala, 1987, p. 369

Atul Bhosekar M.A I (Buddhist Studies)

THE MAHAYANA BUDDHIST LITERATURE ATUL BHOSEKAR