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An Introduction to Nine Gems or Nine Vaipulya Sutras

Lectured By Rev. Uttamnanda
27 J uly 2014
1: Sadharmapuarika Sutra: The Lotus Discourse
The lotus discourse is one of the nine important texts of Mahyna which consists of
verse sections. This discourse is very important as it mentions the development of Buddhism
from Theravda to Mahyna. The attainment of Buddha-hood is described as an ideal choice in
it. If one may maintain to become an Aranhat or Pratyekabuddha, that person cannot get the
Enlightenment. When this discourse was preached impure audiences, there were Bodhisatva,
ordinary people and the follower of Theravda.
The lotus discourse was expounded at the request of Bodhisatva Majsr who is very
eminent in Mahyna Sutras. As this discourse is known as presenting Ekayna, it says even the
Partyekabuddha and Arahant have to practise the Bodhisatvayna to attain full Enlightenment.
When venerable Sriputta was hearing it, he got worry and became to ponder over that he has
wasted his time by becoming an Arhant. Therefore, the Buddha advised him to re-enter Sasra
so that he can practise Buddhism again and get Enlightenment. The Buddha then promised
Sriputta he would be a Buddha one day.
The lotus discourse comprises 27-chapters and it makes an attempt to describe there is
only foremost Buddhism though generally there are three forms of Eka-yna, Buddha-yna and
Bodhisatva-yna. It is therefore seen as a sutra which tries to establish Eka-yna, single vehicle.
It is nowadays known as Mahyna, the great vehicle.
The other important fact found in this Sutra is to show that the Buddha used a particular
way known as Upyakaulya, Skill in means, to make the people understand Buddhism. As well-
known cases, it highlights Pacra, Agulimla and Kisgotam who have different problems.
The Buddha approached their problems and found solutions to them.

2: Prajpramita Sutra: The Discourse on Perfection of wisdom
This discourse was preached by the Buddha while staying at the Gijjhaka. The main
topic in this sutra is to emphasis the significant of wisdom and to describe two forms of
Emptiness. Out of all the perfections, perfection of wisdom occupies the higher place in
Mahyna. If someone develops wisdom, he or she can get rid of two forms of emptiness;
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Puggala-unyat and Dharma-unyat. In India, there was a belief among many teachers that
there is a soul somewhere in the human body. They located it either in the heart or in the brain or
in all over the body.
Dharma-unyat means to reject all aggregates by developing some transits all-in about
aggregates. For instance, emptiness itself can be a transit that the tightly hold as really real, but
there is no entity called emptiness. Emptiness is nothing but the absence of a soul. Thus, the
transit of Dharma-unyat has been developed.

3: Lakvatra Sutra
Lakvatra sutra means a discourse preached in a place of Lanka where then the king
Rvaa was reigning. The Buddha came to Lanka and preached the significance of avoiding
eating fish and meet. Another aspect of this sutra is to maintain the mind pure in origin, for other
reason is lost its purity when real method is applied. One can regain another important teaching
in the sutra is the theory of three Bodies known as Trikya. Three bodies are Truth Body
(Dharma-kya), Body of mutual enjoyment (Sabhoga-kya) and created Body (Nirma-
kya). The first one is only real whilst the rest two are provisional ways of talking about and
comprehending.

4: Lalitavistra Sutra
Lalitavistra is an important text describing the wise of Buddha on earth. This sutra tries
to explain how an infant entered the womb of Queen My in the form of elephant. The infant
was living in a special cell created by gods and under the protection of gods. Therefore
Lalitavistra is important as an account of the life of Buddha before the period He attained
Enlightenment.

5: Daabhmi-Sutra: Ten Stages
According to this sutra, a Bodhisatva has to go to the ten stages and by reaching the tenth
stage; he becomes qualify to teach the world. This sutra was preached by the Buddha when He
was in the Tusit-world.

6: Samdhirja Sutra: King of Meditation Discourse
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This sutra preaches that there are three Kyas and the best form of meditation is to go
into the insight of No-soul. Therefore Mahyna while doing meditation teaches to develop the
way to understand No-soul theory in two forms of Puggala-unyt and Dharma-unyat.

7: Gandavyha: Array of Flower
In this sutra, there is a description of trying to find out a person who can help him to
understand the nature of reality. In other word, it describes the significance of good friend. Here
the description is given offer young person by name Sudhra tried to find out a teacher who can
show him the path to Enlightenment. In his search, he had to go to not less than 52-teachers, and
later he came across Maitreya-Bodhisatva. This Bodhisatva directed Sudhra to Buddha
Vairocana who showed the correct to him.

8: Tathgata Guhyaka: The Discourse on Esoteric
According to this sutra, the Buddha has to select what is to be taught depending on the
nature and ability of the listeners. Everything cannot be opened. This teaching has led to the
development of Tantrayna form of Buddhism. It shows there are some parts of Buddhism. It
could be appreciated by different people according to their level of understanding.

9: Suvarna Prabha Sutra: Splendor of Golden Light Discourse
This sutra maintains that Buddhism can be approached in a particular way. Even if there
are three bodies, one real body through which one can understand Dharma is the Dharma-kya.
This sutra tries to understand the nature of three bodies. One is the body which with the Buddha
appears at different stages in his life, i.e. as prince Siddhartha, ascetic Gautama and after
enlightenment the Buddha. In the second stage, the Buddha used to be seen his created form at
different stages to help people but at last there is a difference to Dharma-kya which is the most
important body. It is what Buddha understanding or the teaching of the Buddha. This kind of
understanding is founding all in forms of Buddhism. In the Pli tradition, there is also a well-
known statement "Whoever sees the Dharma see the Buddha".