What is the earliest Buddhist scripture in the world?

The earliest Buddhist sutra in the world is the Agama Sutra.

Agama's basic classic of primitive Buddhism. Also known as Ayong, Ahanmu, Agar Mo, etc. It means "the teaching method of inheriting legends" and "gathering classics". Free translation means "returning to dharma", "incomparable dharma", "teaching" and "spreading", which means that such basic classics are all held, returned and gathered by the teachings of Buddhism. It is generally believed that the basic content of this sutra was determined when Buddhism was first assembled, and it was systematically arranged before and after the formation of Buddhism, and it was written in BC 1 century. According to legend, after the death of the Buddha, his disciple Da presided over the first collection and recited two books, Fazang and Fazang. Fazang recorded the words and deeds of the Buddha and his disciples. Contains the basic teachings of primitive Buddhism. There are four or five parts in the French collection (according to the length and content characteristics, it is divided into four parts: Chang Agama, Zhong Ahan Jing, Zha Agama and Zeng Yi Agama). ) It is estimated that in the time of Ashoka (3rd century). The earliest Buddhist scriptures were written in words in 1 century BC. It is generally believed that the formation of Agama coincides with the division of sects, so all sects have similar agama. Ahan was divided into two factions: Buddhism spread to the north and Southern Buddhism.

version

The northern legend called Chang Agama, Zhong A, Zha Agama and Zeng Yi Agama, but modern scholars think that they do not belong to the same school. There are five kinds of books about the spread to the south, which are called Chang Jing, Zhong Jing, Correspondence Jing, Jia Zhi Jing and Xiao Jing. Among them, the first four books are almost the same as Agama, but the number, arrangement and some contents of the scriptures are different. The Chinese version of Chang Agama, with 22 volumes, is divided into four parts, which describe the theories about Buddha, teaching practice and heresy, and the success or failure of the world. The 60-volume and 222-volume "Zhong A Jing" is about the four truths and twelve karma and the words and deeds of the Buddha and his disciples. Add Agama Volume 5 1 was changed from 1 method to 1 1 method, and the number of sentences was published, so it was added; Za Agama (50 volumes) contains other scriptures that were not collected by Agama. Forty-two Chapters of Hanshu, translated and compiled by Agama, began in the Eastern Han Dynasty. The whole Agama was published in the 4th and 5th centuries. Previously, agama's single products were translated one after another.

Teach and inherit

In Sanskrit, Agama means "come" or "go", so the ancient translation of Ahan is "rest" and "return", which means "the journey from one place to another". For example, the yoga teacher's "On the Earth" (volume 85) said: "If there are four kinds, the younger brother exhibition will be handed down from now on; This is why it is called Ayuma. " Seng Zhao's Preface to Chang Agama says: "Qin Yan Laws and Regulations. ..... like a huge sea, there are hundreds of rivers in the sea, hence the name. " "Knowing the Bodhisattva Method" Volume 1: "The meaning of forbearance is called agama. For example, Tudor said: The Buddha told the monks: I didn't see any Aha in the Three Realms, such as the beast Aha, which was purely a gathering place for all beings.

According to the preface of the dragon Agama, Agama is "the home of all the good, and Lin Yuan will live forever". Agama is translated into "incomparable law" or "teaching", which means "supreme law".

The Baliha Khan Sutra, which spread to the south, belongs to the "Cang Jing" which is said to belong to the copper belt department and is divided into five parts: 1. "dragon system"; 2. "Central"; 3. Corresponding department' ('(samyutta-nikāya);); ); 4.' Add branch "5" and "small department". The content of "a small part" is slightly different from Ceylon and Myanmar. There are four kinds of Arabic classics translated into Chinese from the north, which are the general names of four kinds of Agama books, namely Long Agama, China Arabian Classic, Za Agama and Zengyi Agama.

Long agama's Chinese translation is equivalent to the' long part' of five Pali documents. The Chinese translation of "Bieza Agama" is equivalent to "Youzhuopin" in "Correspondence Department". The two Chinese versions of Za agama and Zhong A are equivalent to the corresponding part and the middle part. The Chinese translation of "adding an agama" is equivalent to "adding a branch".

Sources and courses

It is reported that after the death of the Buddha (Nirvana), the great disciple Mahakasyapa heard of the death of the Buddha and returned to Ye Bo. Since the Buddha did not leave any works before his death, three months later, with the support of King Ashoka of Mohtaro, on June 27th, Mahakaya selected 500 Buddhist monks to gather in Qiye Cave in King Snake City, which was called "500 Gathering" in history. The "Sutra" mentioned by Sakyamuni (also known as Thudoro) was recited by disciple Anada, and the Dharma was recited by Upali. There are five agama, the process is extremely complicated, and there are different opinions, headed by Da Jiaye. The basic contents of the book of Agama were determined when it was first compiled, among which the book of Agama was compiled by Youboli and the book of Classics by Anan, among which the book of Agama was not edited by Ashoka before.

One hundred years after the death of the Buddha, during the Ashoka period, there was a "second gathering" in Visheri. Four Agama books, Za Agama, Zhong A, Chang Agama and Zeng Yi Agama, were formally integrated, and Ahan was systematically sorted out one after another, and then entered the sectarian period. Written in the first century BC. Since the Sui and Tang Dynasties in China, Buddhist learners only lived in Mahayana Buddhism, and regarded Mahayana as lowly and neglected, which made Agama shelved for thousands of years. /kloc-At the end of 0/8th century, Agama regained her position under the advocacy of European and American scholars.

EPICA

When Agama was founded, as far as the ranking of Buddhist scriptures is concerned: (1) In the first summer after the death of Buddha, 500 arahants gathered in Yeqiyan, outside the King Snake City, and held their first meeting, headed by Grand Kaya. The Ananda chanting method (that is, Buddhist scriptures), which is recited by the old woman, is the famous' 500 gathering' in history. The origin of Agama originated at this time. (2) One hundred years after the death of the Buddha, 700 monks gathered in Vishnu and left the city, taking Yesheh as the first time to hold a second gathering. This episode is dominated by Faji, which is the famous' 700 episodes'. (3) In 236, a year after the death of the Buddha, that is, during the Ashoka period, the third gathering was held in Fahrenheit City, with Emperor Xu, the son of Mu Guanglian, as the first, and the Sanzang teaching method was completed. (4) Four hundred years after the death of the Buddha, under the protection of King Ganeshega, the fourth collection was held in Kamimiro, with intimidators and friends around the world as the primary tasks. This collection focuses on the interpretation of Sanzang. To sum up, Agama recited it at the first congress, and after the second congress, that is, around the third century BC, Agama was formally established.

content

Agama is a genre book about words and deeds, which describes the words and deeds of the Buddha and his disciples in their monastic and missionary activities. The basic teachings of Buddhism include four truths, four thoughts, eight right paths, twelve causes, twelve sects, impermanence, selflessness, five connotations, four Zen, four syndromes, reincarnation and retribution for good and evil. The world is dominated by various schools of Hinayana Buddhism. During the reign of Emperor Han Ming, there was a translation of forty-two chapters, the contents of which were translated from Chinese.

condition

Agama is the foundation of Buddhism, the "teaching method" handed down from world to world, and the "sacred book" collected after the demise of Buddhism. It was passed down from generation to generation by younger brothers and was recognized as "fundamental Buddhism" by "primitive Buddhism" and "departmental Buddhism".

Agama is the record of Buddha's enlightenment, words and deeds. It was compiled by the disciples after the Buddha's nirvana, not by the Buddha himself, nor by the Buddha himself. Ahan's legal meaning is very deep, and in the early days, before there were literary masterpieces, he relied on reciting, so he used words and sentences as concisely as possible. Everything has advantages and disadvantages. Simple and profound scripture, all beings either don't understand, are not interested, or think they understand, but misinterpret the meaning of the law. In addition, there are many essences that can only be realized by real practice. If we only understand them in words, it is easy to misunderstand. This is an important reason why Agama was sentenced to Hinayana Sutra.

classify

Long Agama

Agama * * * has a total of 22 volumes, which was recited in Chang 'an in the fifteenth year of the late Qin Dynasty (4 13) by the shaman Buddha in Liangzhou, translated into Chinese, and recorded by the Taoist of Qin State.

China-Afghan classics

Sixty volumes, translated by Tan Monanti in the 20th year of Qin Jianyuan (384), retranslated by Gotama Samghadeva in the 2nd year of Long 'an in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (398).

Miscellaneous agama

In 50 volumes, bhadra (394-468) was asked by Liu Song in the Southern Dynasties to take dictation at Zuohuan Temple in Yang Du. Baoyun translated Chinese and read the transcript. Another 20 volumes of Don't Translate Miscellaneous Agama were lost by the translator, and the translation time may be earlier than 50 volumes.

Add an agama

Also known as "One Plus One Agama", 5 1 volume. In the 20th year of Jianyuan (384), it was first recited by Qintan Monan, and Zhu Folian translated it into Chinese and recorded Tan Song's comments. Gotama and Samghadeva were retranslated in the second year of Longan in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (398).

origin

There are different understandings of the meaning of "Chang" in Chang Agama. According to Volume 54 of the Four Points Method, Volume 30 of the Five Points Method, and Volume 85 of the Yoga Teacher's Theory of Land, it is the Collection of Classics, hence the name. The publication of Sapo Duo Pi Ni Pi Po Sha for one year is a breakthrough for Chang Ahan. There is a saying in "On Respecting Merits and Merits" that respecting elders is a long-term thing, which means that there is no end to robbery.

The word "Zhong" in "Zhong A" refers to the collection of holy teachings with medium length (according to Volume I of "On Respecting Merits"). "Add an agama"; This classic is compiled according to the thirtieth volume of the law of five points and the fifty-fourth volume of the law of four points, which is the second volume according to the law number, and is classified from the first law to the eleventh law, so it is called an increase; According to the volume of Sapodupini Piposha, adding a agama is a collection of what the Buddha said for heaven at any time.

The origin of the name "Za Ahan" in Za Agama is recorded in Volume 30 of Five Points Method and Volume 54 of Four Points Method. This book is the Buddha's teaching about the four noble truths, the eight sacred paths and the twelve karma to monks, monks, Youposai, Youpoyi, Tian Zi and Tiannv. This episode is the first episode, called "Thirty-two years according to the Maha monk's law, and it is called miscellaneous sentences collected by miscellaneous Ahan". According to the volume of Sapodupini Piposha, Zaahan clarifies meditation and is necessary for meditators to practice Buddhism. The theory of the land of the yogi has been published for eighty-five years, and everything is taught according to it, so it is called Za 'ahan.