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THE SADDHARMAPUNDARIKA SUTRA

The Saddharmapundarika sutra is one of the nine Dharmas of the Maha ana Buddhism! These " Dharmas kno#n as the $na%dharmas& are ' Ashtasahasrika Samadhira+a( Pradn aparamita( ,anka%atara( )anda% uha( Dash*humis%ara( Tatha-ata-uh aka( Saddharmapundarika(

,a.it%istara and Su%arnapra*hasa! This sutra #as /ompi.ed in 0st-1nd /ent! A!D! The sutra is *e.ie%ed to *e -i%en * the Buddha himse.f! The sutra #as trans.ated in 2hinese in 133 AD( 143 AD and 567 AD( #hereas the Ti*etan trans.ations #ere done in the 6th /ent! The Saddharmapundarika sutra /onsists of 13 /hapters! Contents: The sutra is kno#n for its e8tensi%e instru/tion on the /on/ept and usa-e of ski..fu. means( the 4 th paramitas or perfe/tion of a Bodhisatt%a ' most. in the form of para*.es! It is a.so one of the first sutras to use the term $Maha ana&! Another /on/ept introdu/ed * the sutra is the idea that the Buddha is an eterna. entit #ho a/hie%ed nir%ana eons a-o( *ut #i..in-. /hose to remain in the / /.e of re*irth 9samsara: to he.p tea/h *ein-s the dharma time and a-ain! He re%ea.s himse.f as the $father& of a.. *ein-s and e%in/es the .o%in- /are .ike a father! Moreo%er the sutra indi/ates that e%en after the Parinir%ana of the Buddha( he /ontinues to *e rea. and *e /apa*.e of /ommuni/atin- #ith the #or.d! The sutra speaks of a hi-her tea/hin- *ut it doesn;t pro%ide spe/ifi/ pra/ti/es *e ond the readin-( /op in-( re/itin- and prea/hin- of the sutra! The sutra indi/ates that emptiness is not the u.timate %ision to *e attained * the aspirant Bodhisatt%a< the attainment of Buddha #isdom is indi/ated to *e a *.iss

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*esto#in- treasure that trans/ends seein- a.. as mere. empt or mere. .a*e.ed! Literary style: The sutra i..ustrates a sense of time.essness and the in/on/ei%a*.e( often usin- .ar-e num*ers and measurements of time and spa/e! The u.timate tea/hin- of the sutra is imp.ied to the reader that $fu.. Buddhahood& is on. arri%ed at * e8posure to the truths e8pressed imp.i/it. in the sutra %ia its man para*.es! Symbolic expression: The Saddharmapundarika sutra #as /ompi.ed in the form of a drama so that the -enera. pu*.i/ /ou.d easi. understand! The /ompi.ers of this sutra endea%ored to he.p peop.e -rasp it * representinintan-i*.e areas in tan-i*.e form! The des/riptions su/h as $shakin- of the earth& or $rainin- do#n of f.o#ers& are not meant in a .iterar sense( *ut ser%e to /ommuni/ate -raphi/a.. and effe/ti%e. the true fee.in- of the #riter! SAMANTMUKHPARIVARTA: $"!HISATTVA MAHASATTVA: =f the 13 /hapters of the Saddharmapundarika sutra( this is the most misinterpreted in a sense the /hapter e8p.ains that an one #ho /a..s upon the *odhisatt%a Mahasatt%a A%a.okitesh#ara #ou.d *e instant. de.i%ered from a.. sufferin-s! The initia. prose dea.s #ith the supernatura. po#ers of the Bodhisatt%a statin- that if .i%in- *ein-s keep in mind and re%ere the Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a( the #i.. *e freed from the se%en dan-ers of fire( #ater( #ind( s#ord( demon( torture and ro**er ! The .i%in- *ein-s #ou.d a.so *e freed from the > human sufferin-s ' *irth( o.d a-e( si/kness and death! And if the re%ere the Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a e%en more( the TH ALL SI! !N SS "# TH

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#ou.d *e freed of 5 poisons of desire( an-er and foo.ishness! ?hen ordinar peop.e read su/h thin-s #ith sha..o# understandin-( the #ou.d easi. fa.. pre to eas -oin- faith! The /auses of su/h misunderstandinare *asi/a.. t#o ' first is their superfi/ia. idea of sa.%ation( #hi/h the seek in somethin- outside themse.%es! The se/ond is their misunderstandin- of the status of the Bodhisatt%a! True sa.%ation .ies in our a#areness of the e8isten/e of the eterna. Buddha #ho is present *oth #ithin and outside us! Su/h understandin- *rin-s harmon in our spee/h and /ondu/t! Sa.%ation /omes from rea.i@ation of the e8isten/e of truth! A Bodhisatt%a is one #ho has a -reat #i.. to sa%e a.. .i%in- *ein-s sufferinfrom de.usion! The Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a A%a.okitesh#ara is an idea. mode. #ho shou.d *e kept in mind to impro%e our /hara/ter! The sutra tea/hes us that if #e make %o#s as the -reat Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a A%a.okitesh#ara to *enefit others #ith /ompassion and pra/ti/e #ith a steadfast mind( #e #i.. sure. attain the same sta-e as the Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a A%a.okitesh#ara! Be/ause of his /ompassionate mind( the *odhisatt%a radiates a ra of pure and serene .i-ht and i..uminates e%er thin- around him! This ra is emitted * his #arm /hara/ter( and it natura.. *ri-htens the minds of those around him! In%erences: one /an summari@e the tea/hin-s of this /hapter in 5 ma+or points ' 0! If the person is in a position of .eadership( he must re-ard the #ishes of a.. peop.e and #ith a perfe/t mind of /ompassion( sa/rifi/e himse.f

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for the sufferin- peop.e( and he must he.p them in their sufferin- and distress! 1! ?hen a person is /onfronted * a /rushin- or harassin- pro*.em or an /onf.i/t( or fee.s an ur-e to indu.-e in an e%i.( he shou.d /a.. to mind the Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a A%a.okitesh#ara #ho is -ent.e( pea/efu. and /a.m! Thus a person /an *e free from a.. e%i. pro*.ems! 5! A person shou.d aim at rea/hin- the menta. sta-e of the Bodhisatt%a Mahasatt%a A%a.okitesh#ara #ho possesses e8/e..ent %irtue and supernatura. po#er! Aor this purpose( he must fo..o# the tea/hin- of the truth tau-ht * the Buddha and pra/ti/e the dis/ip.ines #ithout retro-ression! Arom these 5 tea/hin-s( #e /an #e.. understand the true intention of the Buddha in this /hapter!

Atu. Bhosekar M!A ' II9Buddhist Studies: