Dào Háng Bō Ruò Jīng (Shàng Xià)

Author: Jiang Zifu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-10-01
Features: "The Dao of Prajna," also known as "The Dao of Prajna Parāmitā Sūtra," "The Great Prajna Parāmitā Dao of the Dao," and "The Prajna Dao of the Dao" (Prajnaparamitā). This scripture elucidates the method of Prajnaparamitā and narrates the merits of its practice, belonging to the Mahayana Buddhist canon. "Prajna" is the full name "Praj?āpāramitā," translated as "wisdom across" or "wisdom," sometimes rendered as "wisdom." However, "Prajna" is not ordinary wisdom or understanding; it is a special wisdom that, through "Prajna," one can attain the state of Buddha. This scripture describes a grand assembly presided over by the Buddha, entrusting Subhūti to teach the heavenly beings and dragons, revealing how Bodhisattvas should study, act, and think to complete the Mahayana path, and elaborating on the specific content of Prajnaparamitā from various perspectives. There are many parallel translations of this scripture: the "Dà Míng Dù Jīng" by Zhi Qian in the Wu dynasty, the "Móhē Bōluó Bōluómì Jīng Chāo" translated by Tán Móti and Zū Fóniàn in the pre-Qin period, the "Xiǎo Pǐn Praj?āpāramitā Sūtra" by Kumārajīva in the post-Qin period, the "Dà Praj?āpāramitā Sūtra (Fourth Division)" by Xuánzàng in the Tang dynasty, and the "Fómǔ Shēngchū Sānfǎ Zàng Praj?āpāramitā Sūtra" by Shī Hù in the Song dynasty. The translation by Zhi Lüegeshe is the oldest extant version of the Praj?āpāramitā scriptures. After its completion, it had a significant impact on the development of Buddhism in China, which is why this translation is selected for this book.
Existing translations of Buddhist scriptures, though originally written in the vernacular of their respective eras, are not easily comprehensible due to dialectal barriers, the obscurity of the original texts, and the differences in ancient Chinese and Indian thought. Therefore, lectures of varying scales emerged in ancient times to facilitate understanding. Today, the modern Chinese language has diverged even further from the language of the original translations, making the scriptures even more difficult to grasp. To aid readers in comprehension and reference, we have provided a colloquial translation of "The Dao of Prajna." This translation adheres strictly to the original text, avoiding subjective speculation or interpretation. The colloquial translation is clear and accessible, primarily using direct translation for passages that are difficult to express or have multiple meanings. Mantras in the scripture are left untranslated. The annotations are concise yet thorough, avoiding excessive scholarly references.
Despite our best efforts to remain faithful to the original, imperfections may still exist. We are grateful for any insights that readers may gain, even if it is just a small measure, and we celebrate such discoveries with joy. At the same time, we sincerely hope for the readers' serious criticism and corrections.