Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra

The Nirvana Sutra, or Mah parinirv a S tra is a major Mahayana sutra, which its English-translator, Kosho Yamamoto, has described as 'one of the three great masterpieces of Mahayana Buddhism. It is one of several Buddhist texts having approximately the same title, another well-known text being (the Mahaparinibbana Sutta), part of the Pali Canon. However, both for historical reasons and for the sake of clarity, the former is generally referred to by its full Sanskrit title, Mah y na Mah parinirv a Mah -s tra (or simply "Nirvana Sutra") in cases where confusion may arise, the latter by its Pali title, Mahaparinibbana Sutta. Although the Nirvana Sutra, mentions some of the well-known episodes in the final months of the life of the Buddha, the sutra uses these narratives merely as a convenient springboard for the expression of standard Mahayana ideals. Both in style and in content, the Nirvana Sutra displays a disregard for historic particulars and a fascination with the supernatural and the ideals which characterize Mahayana writings in general. Though not a specialist on this text, Paul Williams opines that as Mahayana sutra, it is of rather late date (after the second century CE).

Klappentext

The Nirvana Sutra, or Mahaparinirva a Sutra is a major Mahayana sutra, which its English-translator, Kosho Yamamoto, has described as 'one of the three great masterpieces of Mahayana Buddhism. It is one of several Buddhist texts having approximately the same title, another well-known text being (the Mahaparinibbana Sutta), part of the Pali Canon. However, both for historical reasons and for the sake of clarity, the former is generally referred to by its full Sanskrit title, Mahayana Mahaparinirva a Maha-sutra (or simply "Nirvana Sutra") in cases where confusion may arise, the latter by its Pali title, Mahaparinibbana Sutta. Although the Nirvana Sutra, mentions some of the well-known episodes in the final months of the life of the Buddha, the sutra uses these narratives merely as a convenient springboard for the expression of standard Mahayana ideals. Both in style and in content, the Nirvana Sutra displays a disregard for historic particulars and a fascination with the supernatural and the ideals which characterize Mahayana writings in general. Though not a specialist on this text, Paul Williams opines that as Mahayana sutra, it is of rather late date (after the second century CE).