Long Discourses
[intro TK]
Contents
Indications of Sectarian Affiliation
It has been well documented through comparative study of parallels texts with known sectarian provenances that the Long Discourses was part of the Dharmaguptaka canon.
Gifts Made to the Buddha
One example argument made by Bareau[1] relied on a comparison of a passage from the Mahaparinirvana Sutra (DA 2) which depicts the laywoman Ambapali giving her Mango Grove to the Buddha. This episode carried an important doctrinal significance for three early sects of Buddhism: The Mahisasaka, Dharmaguptaka, and Theravada. This doctrinal divergence is one piece of evidence that all three canons are related, with the Dharmaguptaka and Theravada canons being descendants of the Mahisasaka line of transmission.
The doctrinal issue was whether gifts to the Buddha were the same as gifts given to the sangha as a whole and whether any merit was gained from them. The Dharmaguptaka position was quite distinct and perhaps extreme compared to the other two canons. They believed the Buddha was not a part of the sangha he created and that any gifts given to him were the same as gifts placed in stupas or cetiyas dedicated to his relics. They could not be used by any other sentient beings and therefore would yield no merit to the donor. On the other hand, a donor would gain merit for gifts given to the sangha. Therefore, in the passage in DA 2, we find that the Buddha carefully instructs Ambapali to direct her gift to the sangha at large rather than to the Buddha. She then does so, saying the words that the Buddha suggests to her. This procedure, Bareau notes, is replicated in the case of Bimbisara donating the Bamboo Grove to the Buddha. Again, the Buddha tells Bimbisara to instead direct his gift to the sangha. Both of these episodes are found in the Chinese translation of the Dharmaguptaka Vinaya.
| DA 2: Ambapali's Gift (T1.1.14b12-25) |
Dh Vin: Ambapali's Gift (T1428.22.856c3-c18) |
Dh Vin: Bimbisara's Gift (T1428.22.798b16-28) |
|---|---|---|
| 時，菴婆婆梨女即設上饌，供佛及僧。食訖去鉢，并除机案。時，女手執金瓶，行澡水畢，前白佛言：「此毘耶離城所有園觀，我園最勝，今以此園貢上如來，哀愍我故，願垂納受。」 | 時婆提飯佛及比丘僧，種種多美飲食。[12]食飲足已，置鉢於地，持金澡瓶水洗佛手，前白佛言：「毘舍離國有諸園觀，此最第一，今奉世尊，在中住止，唯願哀愍見為受之。」 | 時瓶沙王持金澡瓶水授如來令清淨，白佛言：「今羅閱城諸園中，此竹園最勝，我今施如來，願慈愍故受。」
|
| [English] | Example | Example |
| 佛告女曰：「汝可以此園施佛為首及招提僧。所以然者？如來所有園林、房舍、衣鉢六物，正使諸魔、釋、梵、大神力天，無有能堪受此供者。」 | 佛告言：「汝可奉佛及四方僧。何以故？若佛園園物，若房舍、房舍物、若鉢、若衣、若座具、針筒，如佛塔廟，一切世間諸天龍神、梵天、沙門、婆羅門、諸天及人，無有能用者。」 | 佛告王言：「汝今持此竹園，施佛及四方僧。何以故？若如來有園、[7]園物、房舍、房舍物、衣鉢、尼師[8]檀、鍼筒，即是塔，諸天、世人、魔、若魔天、沙門、婆羅門所不堪用。」 |
| [English] | Example | Example |
| 時，女受教，即以此園施佛為首及招提僧。佛愍彼故，即為受之， | 婆提言：「今以上佛及四方僧，願為受之。」 | 王言：「我今以此竹園，施佛及四方僧。」 |
| [English] | Example | Example |
| 而說偈言： | 時佛哀愍故，為呪願受之： | 時世尊以慈愍心受彼園已，即為呪願： |
| [English] | Example | Example |
| 「起塔立精舍， 園果施清涼； 橋船以渡人， 曠野施水草。 |
「若為作寺廟， 種植諸果樹； 橋船以度人， 曠野施水果， |
「種植諸園樹， 并作橋船梁； 園果諸浴池， 及施人居止。 |
| [English] | [tk] | Example |
| 及以堂閣施， 其福日夜增； 戒具清淨者， 彼必到善方。」 |
兼復施屋舍。 如是之人輩， 日夜福增長； 如法能持戒， 彼人向善道。」 |
如是之人等， 晝夜福增長； 持戒順正法， 彼人得生天。」 |
Table of Contents and Parallels
Below is a (work-in-progress) list of all the sutras contained in the Dirgha Agama.
Parallels listed in () are either only similar or they share templates with the subject but don't appear to be direct parallels.
Notes
- ↑ Bareau, A. (1966). L’origine du Dīrgha-Āgama traduit en chinois par Buddhayaśas. Artibus Asiae. Supplementum, 23, 49–58.
